Inspiring Women Series: A Conversation with Enid Keohane

Happy International Women’s Day!

Today, as we celebrate the many amazing women around the world, I would like to share a conversation I recently had with my Grandma, Enid Keohane (“Nanny”).

It is the first episode in the Inspiring Women Series, a weekly podcast dedicated to sharing the stories of the many women who have inspired me in my life. You can subscribe to the podcast series in the iTunes Store.

 It is very special for me to be able to interview Nanny and celebrate her many important roles as a mother, a teacher, a friend, a grandmother, and a great-grandmother on International Women’s Day, as she is one of the women who has inspired me the most in my life.

Inspiring Women Series

Episode 1: Enid Keohane (“Nanny”)

“You can find the time if you really want to.”

MelissaKewPhotographyReception-3679195830-O
Enid Keohane, “Nanny,” had 8 children in 10 years and managed to balance her busy family life with her full-time job as a teacher. Photo: Melissa Kew Photography

Enid Keohane, known to me, and everyone else in the Keohane family as “Nanny” was born on July 12, 1929 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

As a young girl, she excelled at balancing many responsibilities from her role as the Head Girl of her high school to her part-time jobs as a model and employee at a department store, to her involvement in recreational activities like skating, skiing, and spending time with her family at the cottage in Norway Bay, Quebec.

This helped her a lot as an adult. Somehow she found the energy to juggle being the mother of eight children while working full-time as a high school business teacher.

“A lot of it depends on your attitude. I know women who have two or three children who would be moping around…they just forgot to enjoy themselves as they went along and count their blessings, and I can certainly do that.”

In this episode, Nanny opens up about how she found the energy to balance her busy personal and professional lives, and the importance of maintaining a positive attitude in everything that you do.

17 thoughts on “Inspiring Women Series: A Conversation with Enid Keohane”

  4. Great interview with Nanny, Shanno! I learned some new things about my Mother! She truly is an inspiration to me! Her attitude has gotten her so far!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. Wow! That was awesome Shannon! I didn’t know you were doing this. It will be so nice to have this when mom isn’t around any more.

    Pat

    Sent from my iPad

    >

    Like

    Reply

    1. Hi Aunt Pat. I have actually been thinking for a long time that I should interview Nanny….but never made the time. In Pond Inlet, we often had Elders come into our classrooms to share stories about their lives. It was so nice to hear about how they lived and what they have learned….then I realized I didn’t know much about Nanny. Thanks for listening.

      Like

      Reply

  6. Brilliant! Greg and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to your podcast. Not knowing her well, we always admired Mrs. Keohane from afar, through her talented children, and now we understand why. Great idea: preserving the past and present for the future.

    Greg & Joan Dunn

    Like

    Reply

    1. Hi Joan, thank you for listening. Nanny is a very inspiring woman! I hope I can remain as positive and upbeat as her!

      Like

      Reply

  8. Hi Shannon,

    I sent this to my friends and they loved it and said that you did an amazing job. Just thought I would pass this on to you.

    Pat

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    Like

    Reply

    1. Thank you so much for sharing and passing on such nice feedback. A few of them did message me via my contact page. It is nice to know that other people are so inspired by Nanny’s story.

      Like

      Reply

Leave a comment