78, of Macomb
Marilyn Keeney, 78, of Macomb, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Blessing Hospital in Quincy, surrounded by her daughters. Her death was caused by a sudden and unexpected illness of MRSA pneumonia.
She was born on May 16, 1947, in Springfield, to John and Dorothy Adams (Holiday). Marilyn graduated from Springfield High School before attending Western Illinois University. And this is when her love story began when she met the greatest love of her life, James Keeney, who was working as a graduate assistant in Student Activities for WIU. Marilyn received her Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Western Illinois University in 1969, with a minor in Art.
On November 25, 1965, Jim and Marilyn began a loving and devoted 57-year friendship and partnership. In 1969, she began her career teaching second grade in Lewiston, where she discovered a deep passion for advocating for children and guiding them to reach their full potential academically and socially. Marilyn took some time off in between teaching to help raise her two daughters, Jennifer and Lisa. In 1980, Marilyn went back to her true passion - working with young children with special needs. She dedicated the next several years to special education, including four years as a classroom teacher before beginning a new chapter as a Special Education Preschool Paraprofessional at MacArthur School, where she faithfully served for 27 years. From 2007 to 2012, she taught as a Resource Teacher for first and second grades at Lincoln Elementary School; later spending her final years in a Cross-categorial Special Education room with some of her favorite people. Throughout her remarkable 47-year career in education, she impacted thousands of students, making it her primary goal to help them feel valued, encouraged, and safe.
Marilyn was a loyal and caring presence in her community. She was a longtime member of Wesley Methodist Church, where she taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School for many years. In 2013, she joined The Crossing Church, where she was re-baptized and proudly served in the greeting ministry. She was also a member of the WIU Faculty Wives, the Beta Sigma Phi Sorority, and the WIU Leatherneck Club, and volunteered as a receptionist at McDonough District Hospital.
