Obituary of Mary Ellen Paige

On September 8, 2022 our beloved Meg, Mom, Nana, Great-Nana, formally Mary Ellen Paige, went home to the Lord after a brief stay at Porter Hospice in Littleton, Colorado.  Despite the difficult diagnosis of dementia and Meg’s long, slow decline over many years – she remained bright and vibrant, full of joy and grace right up until her final rest. Meg celebrated her 85^th birthday with a house-full of loving family and guests just one month prior to her passing.  At every holiday or birthday event, Meg was known for spending meticulous, careful time with unwrapping gifts and reading every word of every card. She would embrace each expression, from even the most generic cards, and cherished them in her heart, offering sincere embraces of love and thanks to each person. 

Meg loved life. Meg loved the Lord. Meg took time to notice the beauty of God’s creation all around her. Meg worshiped the Lord with hands raised, even dancing and always singing praise with full joy and sincerity. This same extraordinary love was shared with every person she came across.  After any type of interaction with Meg people stepped away knowing they were respected and cared for, listened to, accepted and loved. 

Meg adored her loving husband, Bob Paige who survives her in Parker Colorado. She cherished her two daughters, Karen Lee-Thompson of Corvallis Oregon and Kathy Keasler-Crooks of Franktown Colorado and she embraced her two sons-in-law as her very own, Todd Thompson and Grant Crooks. Meg was the biggest fan of every concert, every play, every baseball game, every football game, every gymnastics meet, every graduation, every great and every small achievement of her three adored grandchildren – Jeremy Griffin with his wife Anna Viemeister of New York City, Aaron Crooks with his wife Robin Crooks, and Meg’s two great grandchildren Elijah & Owen of Castle Rock, Colorado, and her very special granddaughter, Megan Crooks of Denver, Colorado. Meg crossed the country and traveled all over the state to be in person at nearly every event, cheering and adoring her grandkids and great grandkids. 

Meg was blessed with an extraordinary life. She was born August 2, 1937 in San Bernadino California. With stunning beauty, blond hair and blue eyes – Meg would always identify herself as a California Girl.  Meg was the youngest child and only daughter of Rev. Wendell W. Greenlee Sr and Francis (Frank) Greenlee. Her father was a Princeton grad and Presbyterian Pastor.  Her parents met as missionaries in Mexico City and led a Spanish speaking congregation in San Bernadino and two other Presbyterian congregations in Long Beach.  With her two older brothers, Wendell W Greenlee Jr the oldest sibling and Douglas Greenlee the middle child, Meg loved that she was raised as a preacher’s kid with church services on Sunday, youth group during the week, and always formal Sunday dinners, every Sunday, hosting friends and family. Meg would always say that her parents were adored by everyone in the congregations they led. Meg and her brothers were raised to speak Spanish and to play music. Wendell Jr played wind instruments, Douglas played Cello and Meg played piano. Meg was also a skilled artist in painting and sculpture. Even in the later days of Meg’s decline with dementia she was always able to sight read music and play the piano, she could always sing and remember the words to all her favorite hymns, and she even spent time painting with watercolors in the park.

Meg graduated from Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, CA in 1955, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Occidental College in 1959. Immediately after completing her college degree, Meg moved to San Diego, CA to start work as a primary school teacher. In San Diego, Meg met Navy Officer Ed Keasler. After Meg travelled through Europe, a life-long dream, Meg & Ed were soon married and began their family with the arrival of Karen in 1961 and Kathy in 1962. During their marriage, which ended after 27 years, Ed’s work with the Navy and IBM moved the family to Houston, TX, Ithaca, NY and Vienna, Virginia before finally settling in Southeast Denver where the girls graduated from Cherry Creek High School. After raising her daughters, Meg had further careers with Oppenheimer Funds in Denver, as a preschool teacher for Cherry Hills Community Church School in Highland’s Ranch and as a chaplain with Parker Valley Hope in Parker Colorado.

In 1989 Meg met Bob Paige at Vineyard Christian Fellowship and they have been inseparable for the 33 years ever since. Meg & Bob were married at Cherry Hills Community Church on September 12, 1997 and spent their time, if not at grandkid sporting events, hiking, skiing, traveling, volunteering, dancing and singing. In recent years Meg was able to join the Parker Chorale with Bob who has been a long-time member and sang in the Parker Christmas Concert at the PACE Center. Most importantly, Meg and Bob shared a deep faith in Christ, they have been prayer warriors and active, serving members of both Cherry Hills Community Church and Parker Evangelical Presbyterian Church.

Meg’s life is a powerful example of the love of Christ, as she sought to be like Christ in her love for others. Meg has been a mentor and role model for an unknown number of grateful souls.  We miss her, but we know she is dancing and singing in heaven, praising her Lord, with a clear and sharp mind.

The service to Celebrate Meg’s Life will be held:

Tuesday September 27 at 4pm

Parker Evangelical Presbyterian Church

9030 Miller Rd., Parker CO, 80138

Light refreshments and time to gather and share fond memories will follow.

All are welcome.

Online Live Stream Option for watching the Celebration of Life Service

Go to www.pepc.com

Click ‘Worship Online’ for Live Stream viewing