In Memory of Pauline Keeling

Pauline Keeling died of stage IV lung cancer on September 15, 2008 at the age of 55, less than three months after being diagnosed and two months after starting treatment.  At the time of diagnosis on June 23 2008 the cancer had already metastasized to her spine and abdominal area.  Radiation gave her some pain relief but neither radiation nor chemotherapy could stop the spread of this horrible disease.  During the recommended three week break between chemotherapy treatments the cancer spread to her pancreas and lower back.  She died less than three weeks later at home surrounded by her family.  Earlier diagnosis may have resulted in a different outcome.  

She had an amazing spirit; was kind, funny, generous and giving.  We all remember her upbeat personality and positive outlook and high energy level.  She was joyful and fun with a contagious smile and laugh.  She was unbiased and accepting of people and their differences and distained intolerance and prejudice.  She was honest and knew what was important in life. 

Pauline was always a caretaker helping stray cats as a child and helping those in need as she grew up. Her career working with the developmentally disabled was her life work and she was happy to be able to continue it while raising her sons. 

Her love was her family and her friends.  Her life revolved around husband, Mike Dibala and sons, Andrew and Kevin.  These last months, she said that she had been happy to live the life that she wanted to live; that she had done what she wanted most in the world--taking care of them and giving them the love and comforts of home that they all enjoyed so much.   She had many friends and a knack for accumulating more and more as she moved through different phases of her life.  

Her passions were music, dance and more recently tennis.  Music permeated her home and we all know that Pauline loved to dance and sing and went to musicals in Denver and of course in New York when she was visiting family.  She knew the words to many tunes having sung them repeatedly growing up with her sisters. 

Pauline was a spiritual person and was inspired and moved by the mysteries and beauty of nature, marveling at sunrises and sunsets, the night sky, the ocean and the magnificent mountains that were on constant view from her living room.   On her kitchen windowsill sits a small card inscribed as follows: “Just when the caterpillar thought his life had ended, he became a butterfly.”

Pauline told friends “when I come back, I want to be a dancer.”  That is fine with all of us but for now, we all feel blessed that we had her with us during our lives.