BRUNSWICK – God received a great gift in Phyllis “the angel” Keirstead, who passed peacefully Friday, March 20, 2009, in the arms of her four daughters, She was born March 1, 1932, in Presque Isle, a daughter of Wallace Ingley and Lillian Ella Dow Higgins. She was a graduate of Mapleton High School and received her nursing degree from New England Baptist Hospital, Boston, in 1953. She married Leighton Russell Keirstead Oct. 17, 1953, in Mapleton. Although a registered nurse by profession, she was a caregiver by nature. The Keirstead’s moved back to Maine from Brevard, N.C., in 2006. Here she continued to care for and nurse her husband’s health, tirelessly and devotedly. Her family knows she continues to look over him and will be warming the bench for the love of her life. She was predeceased by a son, Ronald Keirstead, in 1981; and a grandson, Jonathan Tetreault, in 2008. She is survived by her husband, Leighton; four daughters and three sons-in-law, Donna Carr of Windsor Locks, Conn., LuAnn and Stanley Rogala of Walpole, Rhonda and Mike Tetreault of Southwick, Mass., and Karla and Jeff Larsen of Southwick, Mass.; a brother, Malcolm Higgins of Candia, N.H.; two sisters, Esther Ward of Wilmington, Del., and Jennie Jamieson of Butler, Pa.; six grandsons, Keith and Peter Carr, Tim Stiles, Chris and Mikey Tetreault, and Korey Larsen; and eight great-grandchildren. Friends and family are invited to visit 9-10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 28, at Brackett Funeral Home, 29 Federal St., Brunswick. A funeral service will be held 11 a.m. at First Parish Church, Maine Street, Brunswick, with her brother-in-law, the Rev. Dr. William Jamieson officiating. Memorial contributions can be made to the Maine Veterans’ Home, 310 Cony Road, Augusta, ME 04330. For those unable to attend, condolences can be expressed at brackettfuneralhome.com.
PHYLLIS KEIRSTEAD
