Helen Kay Mackay Gird Keen of Fairbury NE died peacefully, with her daughters and son-in-law at her side, on October 7, 2026, at Gardenside Long Term Care in Fairbury.

Helen, the great-granddaughter of Jefferson County pioneer homesteaders James and Abigail Moles, was born in Fairbury on August 4, 1937. She attended Central and West Ward elementary schools and graduated from Fairbury High School in 1955. During these years, Helen was active in Brownies and Girl Scouts and was a member of the National Honor Society. At the age of 11, Helen discovered a great love in her life when she began playing tenor saxophone. While still in the eighth grade, she started playing baritone sax in the high school band. She played in the saxophone quartet for all four years of high school and was chosen to participate in the Nebraska Music Educators Conference Band for three of those years. At 13, Helen began playing with the Chuck Bauer Dance Band. She also played with the Mickey Kull, Bobby Douglas, and Darrel Junker Orchestras.

Helen attended Fairbury Junior College, earning a degree in Elementary Education. She worked at KWBE Radio in Beatrice before attending the University of Wichita, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in music education. While working as secretary to the Director of Bands, she met George Lawrence Gird of Wichita. George and Helen were married May 3, 1959, in the Fairbury Christian Church. Five children were born to this union.

During the children’s school years, Helen was very active in the Parent Teacher Association, serving as PTA President for multiple years at both Harry Street Elementary and Hamilton Junior High Schools. Helen also served on several lay committees for the Wichita Board of Education, including the policy committee, and as a facilitator for yearly conferences of business leaders, the school district, and patrons; and represented parents on a live television discussion on PBS during National Education Week. As the children grew up, Helen began working in flower shops in the Wichita area, culminating in becoming the manager of a silk plant retail franchise, which she led to become the #1 shop in sales in the nation.

Helen moved back to Fairbury in 1993 to care for her widowed mother. She also worked at Schultis and Sons Auction and Real Estate and the Fairbury Public Library. Helen was a founding member and Vice President of the ’23 Preservation Foundation; a member of the Board of Directors for the Fairbury City Museum; and a member of Fairbury Elks Lodge #1203, serving as its first woman Chaplain. Helen married former classmate and Junior Prom date Robert (Bob) William Keen on February 26,1998. In the five years they had together before Bob passed away, the two played area events and dances together as part of the Phase IV Quartet.

Survivors include her sons, Jeffrey Gird of Cimarron CO and Steven Gird of Wichita KS; daughters Suzanne Gird of Fairbury and Mary Schuster (Dan Mennenoh) of IL; daughter-in-law Roxann Gird of Wichita; grandchildren Casey Barnaby of Wichita and Steven A. Gird (Nicole) of Bristol TN; great grandchildren Ethan Frank, Dylan Frank, Roman Barnaby, and Cameron Barnaby of Wichita; Maisen Gird of Bristol, TN; brother Raymond Mackay (Gwen) of Peculiar MO; and many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

Preceding her in death were her parents, George Moles and Eva Pearl (Beasley) Mackay; husbands George Gird and Bob Keen; son David Mackay Gird; granddaughter Stephanie Renee Snell, and grandson Justin David Gird.

Graveside services will be held on Friday, October 23 at 2:00 pm at the Fairbury Cemetery. Memorials have been designated to the Fairbury Cemetery Association and/or the Fairbury Public Library.