Patricia M. Keleher

Patricia Marie Keleher, 73, resident of Wilton, New Hampshire, died on February 9, 2026, after brief hospitalization at the Monadnock Community Hospital, Peterborough, NH. Patricia was born on March 1, 1952, a daughter of the late Albert and Virginia (Kelleher) Keleher.

Born with Cerebral Palsy, and after spending a few younger years at the D.T. Watson Home in Sewickly, Pennsylvania, Patty grew up at the family homestead in Framingham, Massachusetts as the number 5 child in a close and loving family of her parents and 6 children. Throughout her childhood Patricia’s parents were a driving force to facilitate Patricia’s neurological and physical development. Patty attended the Kennedy Day School in Boston and participated with the assistance of her whole family in an array of physical therapies including many years of “patterning” exercises (a brain injury therapy) four times per day, which necessitated volunteers coming to the home every day resulting in many enduring friendships. In the 1970s Patty was in her twenties and moved with her parents to New Hampshire. With the rise of community-based living for people with disabilities Patty bravely ventured into independent living – first at Pratt Homes in Nashua, NH followed by Betty’s Dream Rainbow Apartments in Portsmouth, NH. Following independent apartment living Patty transitioned to an in-home care model, living with care providers. With her easy going, warm, loving, and personable nature, this living model was much more suitable for Patty. Patty integrated with her care provider’s family and developed rich, life-long friendships. In more recent years Patty transitioned to the Isaac House in Wilton, NH, a group home where she was once again greatly loved and she dearly loved the care providers in her home.

Throughout her life she engaged in many activities and achievements: getting her GED in 1991 despite the communication challenges she faced, auditing some college courses, employment at a workshop, cooking, music and too many activities to recall. Perhaps Patty’s most remarkable achievement occurred in 2014. After many years of writing, typing on her computer and dictation to aides, Patty published her autobiography entitled The Life of a Late Bloomer which is available online (https://www.blurb.com). One of the great joys of her life was going to summer camps for disabled individuals, especially Camp Jabberwocky on Martha’s Vineyard, which she attended for many summers. At camp Patty established many enduring friendships as she did everywhere she went.

In addition to her parents, Patricia was predeceased by her brother, Paul and brother-in-law Herbert Hardy, husband of Mary Keleher Hardy.

Patty is survived by four siblings – Richard Keleher (wife Kate), David Keleher (wife Hilda), Mary Keleher Hardy (partner George), Joanne Keleher(partner Shawn Abetz) and surviving sister-in-law of Paul Keleher (Suzanne) as well as many nieces and nephews – Jonathan Keleher, Sarah Napoline (husband Wes), Kevin Keleher (wife Helen), Alison Carvalho (husband Jonathas) Lora Sester (husband Michael), Daniel Keleher, Elizabeth Slater (husband Zach), Michael Hardy, Ross Douglas (wife Melissa), and Jake Douglas. Great nieces/nephews: Sloane Hardy (daughter of Michael Hardy),Isla Slater (daughter of Liz and Zach Slater); Mason Douglas (son of Ross and Melissa Douglas).

SERVICES: A mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at 11:00 AM at the Immaculate Conception Parish, 216 East Dunstable Road, Nashua, NH 03062, followed by a gathering in the Church Hall to celebrate her life. Burial will be on Monday, March 2, 2026 in the family plot with her mother and father at the Holyhood Cemetery, Chestnut Hill, MA. Flowers may be sent to Smith & Heald Funeral Home, Milford, NH. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to United Cerebral Palsy (https://give.ucp.org/campaign/737369/donate).