This statue in Woodland Cemetery for Mary Monroe Keokee has had an unusual existence. It has been stolen and returned twice, necessitating the plexiglass case that now protects it from would-be thieves and vandals. According to one of the volunteers that I spoke to at the cemetery, one of its disappearances lasted more than a decade. Unfortunately, one one of those adventures, the statue lost her right hand.
This, according to the woman I spoke to, is the focus of the ghost’s concern when she manifests. The volunteer told me that she had visited the statue before and felt the woman asking “where is my hand?”
"She blooms in the fields of light."
A Grave Concern 
I returned the statue. I had it for 9 years. 1191-2000
She saved my life……….This statue – this girl Mary Keokee Monroe saved my life – Here is MY story & pics…– I never spoke to a volunteer about her hand. there is no truth to that to my knowleldge. Jennifer Leder
here is a link my pics –
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.185311728186943.54964.100001243514953
here is a link to my story of how why & when I had her-
http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=192218220850962
Jennifer,
Thanks for coming by and taking the time to share your story with me. I’m glad to hear that you are out of that horrible situation and obviously much happier now. As for the statue’s hand, I would assume it was lost before she spent those years with you, since your photo shows her already missing one hand.
correction— I had her from 1991-2000
here is a pic of her in my home………………..
she lost her hand & the tip of her right wing when she was with me……….I had- it happened when we were moving one time – about the 3rd year she was in my care.He was moving her on a dolly……. I cringe remembering it. . I had the hand & wing tip in a box next to her for the longest time- one day , the box was just gone….. we both got out with some damage…. – however I never had any experience that she was looking for her hand , & I never said that to any volunteer.
Here is a video I made.
I just wanted to let you know that when we took a tour of the cemetery two weekends ago, they finished up the tour with a visit to your angel and part of what they talked about was your story. The tour guide seemed a little surprised when I told her that I’ve spoken with you online.
I am sure they were suprised!! … they asked me to speak at her grave on that day during the tour. I couldn’t. My story is too hard to tell. I tend to get sidetracked telling it , & that is not fair to her. I got her grave site all ready for that day & told her people would be coming to her. I like to think it was HER day.I didnt want to make it about me. I felt she was excited to see people. Did you sign her book? I also keep to myself alot. However, your writing of her deserved the truth. I felt you deserved to hear the entire story …from me…. why not. ?? You have such a nice site … & I appreciate that you have such a nice article about Marys statue. But none of it was the truth. -about her hand… her hand broke off in my care. I never spoke to a volunteer about that & she never said ” where is my hand” there is no truth to that. period. She knows what happened to her hand, & we are fine with that .Her & I both made it out of the The Film Bldg. with some damage. But we made it. We need to keep it real when honoring Mary & her family gravesite. . Sometimes the real story gets lost. I didn’t want that to happen here. Her real story is amazing.A seventeen year old girl in 1866…the word Keokee means “our daughter” in the Leni Lanape Indian language( part of the Delaware Indian tribe). There is one sentance I keep finding that was written about Mary I think for her original obituary ~
” EVERYTHING THAT WEALTH & AFFECTION COULD SUGGEST OR ACCOMPLISH WAS SHOWERED UPON HER” ~
Do you know she has a chapel named after her? Her mother opened it after she died. Keokee Chapel , Paradise Valley PA – here is a pic of her stained glass inside of her chapel– – look framilier? http://www.flickr.com/photos/75469677@N00/326580797/in/photostream/
There is an entire story there- & I am going to find it all out. I’ll let ya know what I find when I do , Ashley. She has been stolen twice & returned back home that alone is a story. No one knows the story of the first time, but I can bet you , she guided whoever at that time to get her back to the graveyard. , just like she guided me. It was a pull like no other when I had to get her back, It felt like a race, like I couldn’t do it fast enough. I had alot of other things going on at that time, I felt her pushing me to get her home . She is known to have healing powers,to change lives, to guide people, – she guided me. She lights up , well, not exactly- it’s like there is a light on inside her..( have u noticed?? it’s like there is a light on in the room- but there is no light & no room ) ..& the statue sometimes makes a humming/ buzzing noise…THAT is a fact.
As of last week Mary’s tree behind her monument came down. we assume it was planted when she died. There was no damage to her monument, however, her sidewalk was uprooted when the tree fell over.The cemetary asked if we should plant another in her memory. i said I think a large bush would be safer for her in the future. The monument will look alot different with out her tree. I loved that tree. : (
Thanks for the great story on this Ashley. You speak for those who cannot speak anymore– I can tell you , Mary , for one, appreciates this.
Here is a link to MARY KEOKEE MONROE’S official Facebook page.
All her history, pictures, stories, publications & updated news can be found here ~
https://www.facebook.com/MaryKeokeeMonroe?ref=stream