Click to Watch Funeral Mass Livestream on Wednesday, September 25, at 11am.
Maida, Alanna (Keohane) of Foxboro, formerly of West Roxbury and Dedham passed away suddenly on September 18, 2024, surrounded by her loving family. She was 54.
Born December 1, 1969 in Boston, MA , she was the daughter of Timothy Keohane and the late Maureen Hansen Keohane. A graduate of Boston Latin School, she continued her education at Boston University earning both a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree, with honors in 1991 and began her teaching career at Potter Road Elementary School in Framingham, MA where she remained for the next 32 years. A beloved teacher and colleague, she started every new school year with the attributes of a devoted teacher: patience, compassion, and a relentless commitment to her student’s success. The impact she had on the lives of hundreds of students over three decades is immeasurable. Alanna’s smile will be missed inside the classrooms and hallways of Potter Road Elementary School.
Alanna’s love of teaching would eventually reach beyond the classroom. Irish dancing was in her genes. Her mother opened the Hansen Keohane School of Irish Dance in 1947, and Alanna would spend most of her life learning and performing Irish dancing with her mother. She competed across North America and Ireland with her siblings, cousins and fellow dancers who would become her lifelong friends. Irish dancing was her passion and she coupled that with her love of teaching to follow in the footsteps of her mother to become certified to teach the Irish art form. In 2003, after the passing of her mother, she continued to lead the Hansen Keohane School until 2019. Alanna instilled a love of dance and an appreciation of the Irish heritage in all her students, just as her mother had done for over half a century before.
Though a majority of Alanna’s life story was about her role as school teacher and dance teacher; her first love was her family. She was a devoted daughter, a caring sister and a fun loving cousin in a large, close knit family, but her most treasured role was that of mother. Her children were her greatest joy and she worked tirelessly to provide for them. Alanna’s selfless dedication to family was evident by all who knew her. She was their greatest cheerleader in all of their pursuits. She was courtside at their basketball games and stood proudly at countless dance competitions. Alanna’s generosity of spirit , genuine kindness and infectious smile will never be forgotten by all those who knew and loved her.
In addition to her father, Timothy Keohane, Alanna leaves behind her cherished children: Michaela, Kylie, Dylan, Devin and Ryan Maida and her four-legged friend Cali. She is also survived by her brothers Timothy Keohane Jr. and his wife Sheila of North Attleboro, MA; Sean Keohane and his wife Eileen of Milton, MA and Rory Keohane and his partner Kate of Rockland, Maine. Alanna was loved by her many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins in the U.S. and Ireland.
Visiting hours at P.E. Murray-F.J. Higgins, George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 2000 Centre St., West Roxbury on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 from 4-8pm and Funeral Mass at Saint John Chrysostom, 4750 Washington Street, West Roxbury on Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at 11am. Relatives and friends kindly invited. Interment in Forest Hills Cemetery, Boston.
Click to Watch Funeral Mass Livestream on Wednesday, September 25, at 11am.