Gudrun peacefully departed this life on September 29, 2018 in Saint Louis, Missouri. Born September 21,1928 in Brooklyn, New York, to the late Steffen and Gudrun Blemmer, Gudrun also spent summers with her family near Belvidere, New Jersey. From a young age, she was known as “Goody Two Shoes.” A graduate of Manual Training High School, she married Martin Dewitt Keen and moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut. Gudrun left Brooklyn behind, but Brooklyn never left her. She was ardently proud of being a Brooklyn native. Later, upon remarrying, to Edward Daniel Carroll, Gudrun lived in Milford, Connecticut. Gudrun was a graduate of the Hospital of Saint Raphael School of Respiratory Therapy, and was a caring and hardworking respiratory therapist for more than three decades. After periods in Waterbury, Connecticut, California and Saint Louis, Gudrun became a longtime resident of Black Rock, Connecticut. There she became a friend of Bill W., and made many dear friends. Gudrun retired from Milford Hospital and later relocated to Lakewood and Westlake, Ohio, where she again made her mark among family and friends. Her final year was spent with her son Darrell and daughter-in-law Shirley in Saint Louis, Missouri. Gudrun commemorated her 34th year of sobriety on April 18, 2018, receiving her coin from Leslie Gargano. The family would like to thank Delmar Gardens South, Vitas Hospice, Chas Marfisi and Carolyn Sue Cecil for their loving care.

Gudrun was truly one of a kind. Anyone who has met or known her surely would say Gudrun is unforgettable. She could embody the sacred and the profane, often within the same breath. Gudrun’s passion for life and her love for her friends and family were the stuff of legend. Gudrun brought her inimitable style to motherhood. In the end, she felt being a mother was one of her greatest achievements.

While living in California in the seventies, Gudrun legally changed her name to the single name, Gudrun. The advent of the computer age created numerous challenges to anyone who had to deal with the single name status, not to mention a host of good stories about the ways others coped with her unique moniker. Some of the variations included: I.M. Gudrun, None Gudrun, Nfn Gudrun, Gudrun Gudrun, and, primarily, Ms. Gudrun.

Gudrun was an avid photographer, a prolific poet and writer, an epic storyteller and actor, a mentor to many people in all walks of life, a gardener, and a fan of German Shepherds (she expressed a desire to be reincarnated as a German Shepherd). She loved dancing, the ocean, bluebirds, parties big and small, music, convertibles, flowers, ice cream and grand gestures. She could not carry a tune to save her own life. She hated her ears as she thought they were too big. Gudrun was beautiful, and funny, and charming, and willful, and fierce.

Gudrun is survived by her children: Warren (wife Catherine) of Las Vegas, NV; son Darrell (wife Shirley) of Saint Louis, MO; son Steven (wife Cheryl) of Winchester, VA; daughter Robin (husband Elliott) of Bradenton, FL; daughter Mary (husband Mike) of Virginia Beach, VA; daughter Meredith (husband John) of Madison, NJ; and son Morgan (wife Marianne) of Bridgeport, CT. She was the proud grandmother of Ryan, Ethan, Allison, Meghan, Timothy, Jennifer, Max, Christopher, Daniel and Julia and great-grandmother of Griffin, Paisley, Briar and Teagan. Gudrun is also survived by her dear sisters, Alice of Hingham, MA and Ellen (husband Bob) of Brentwood, NY, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her beloved nephew Eric, as well as all of her former husbands. Gudrun leaves behind countless others whom she loved and who will love her and miss her always.

Gudrun’s family will arrange a memorial service in Connecticut in spring 2019. Details will be forthcoming. The family suggests sending memorial contributions to Brooklyn Botanic Garden Corporation, 1000 Washington Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11225.