Gretchen Keener Brown

Gretchen Keener Brown, 86, of Greensburg, passed away peacefully at home on July 10, 2026. Born on February 28, 1940, Gretchen shared 60 wonderful years of marriage with husband Scott Brown. She is survived by daughters Melissa Fee of Oviedo, Florida, Alexandra Finer of Edina, Minnesota, and son Scott Brown Jr. of Greensburg; and grandchildren Katelyn and Zach Fee and Sam, Hadley, and Jane Finer, each of whom knew her as “Gammy.” She was preceded in death by parents Homer and Emmy Lou Zercher Keener and sister Suzanne Keener Wolfe.

After graduating from Greensburg High School in 1958 and Penn State in 1962, Gretchen earned a Master’s degree from Pitt before teaching school full time in Philadelphia and Lexington, Kentucky. She later taught part time as her love of children and reading remained constant throughout her life.

She embraced life with a playful spirit, wearing seasonal outfits such as pumpkin color sweaters for Halloween, Penn State jewelry, Lions paw-face stickers for Penn State football games and festive attire throughout Christmas and winter, her favorite season. She loved Penn State. She and Scott rarely missed a Nittany Lions home football game.

As a lover of books and reading, Gretchen fulfilled a dream by operating Reader’s Junction, a local bookstore that became a gathering place for fellow readers and friends. She also volunteered for the Westmoreland Museum of American Art and for Parents Anonymous where she counseled young couples and single parents. Unconditional love, joyful enthusiasm, deep devotion to her family and friends and unwavering belief in God’s goodness defined Gretchen’s life and guided her through it.

Family and friends will be received on Thursday, July 16 from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at Kepple-Graft Funeral Home, 524 North Main Street, Greensburg. Funeral services will be held on Friday, July 17 at 10:30 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church of Greensburg, 300 South Main Street, Greensburg. Everyone is asked to go directly to the church. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations in Gretchen’s memory be made to First Presbyterian Church of Greensburg or to the Greensburg-Hempfield Library. For online condolences, please visit www.kepplegraft.com