IRENE NANCY (LOWE) KEENAN, “WAAKE-JAHEREJ”- BELONGS UP THERE
IRENE NANCY (LOWE) KEENAN, “WAAKEJAHEREJ”- BELONGS UP THERE
Irene Nancy (Lowe) Keenan, “Waakejaherej”- Belongs up there, passed away Aug. 25, 2024. Irene was born at home, like her siblings, to Martin and Mabel (Davis) Lowe Oct. 8, 1931. She grew up in a much-remembered log cabin just outside of the Indian Mission near Black River Falls. The stories paint an almost magical world that is long gone now. After high school, she considered learning the ways of her mother, Mabel Lowe, like basket-making, but Mabel said that things are different now, and you have to find another way. She joined the Air Force where she met Leo Keenan. They married and she followed his travels around the county and world within the Air Force and started a family. When Leo was deployed to Southeast Asia in the 60s, Irene came back to the Mission with her three children. It wasn’t too long before she started to get involved with the beginnings of the Tribal Government and started her long journey of working with and for the Ho-Chunk Nation. Her last and perhaps her most important role was a couple of decades of work in the Tribal Language Program where she nurtured the seeds of future Ho-Chunk speakers and teachers. She was most content being with her family and in the presence of tribal members, laughing and telling stories. She will be remembered by the many lives she touched.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Leo Keenan; her parents, Martin and Mabel (Davis) Lowe; her brother Clifford Lowe; sister Arvina Thayer; brother Raymond Lowe; her youngest brother Truman Lowe; and her childhood sidekick, cousin Bill O’Brien.
She is survived by her children, Joseph (Page) Keenan, Christopher (Lori) Keenan and Irene Keenan Jr.; older brother Chloris Lowe Sr.; grandchildren Deana (Ken) Mitch, Ava (Jeremiah) Mitchell and Jack Keenan; and great-grandchildren Calvin Mitch, Rowan Mitch, Ephraim Mitchell and Charis Mitchell; along with many honorary adopted children. Funeral services for Irene took place Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024, at the Buswell Funeral Home at 2 pm. Reverend David McBride officiated. Friends and family were invited to visitation from 12 p.m. until the time of service. Following the service was a meal at the District One Center.
The Buswell Funeral Home assisted the family with final arrangements, 715-284-2231.