In 1966, on the campus of Saint Anselm College, Patrick and Susan McKeown’s love story began at a Christmas social, marking the start of their journey together.Their life has been filled with service, family, and an unshakable connection to their faith, which reflects a commitment to both each other and the communities they’ve served.

Susan, then a sophomore, recalls how they met in a line to get soda. Patrick, ever outgoing according to Susan, struck up a conversation that led to a three-hour discussion. By the end of the night, Susan declared to her roommate that she had just met the man she would marry. Despite the instant connection, they wouldn’t see each other for another year, until a meeting at a basketball game. It wasn’t until the fall of the next year that the two truly reconnected. The rest, as Susan said, “was history.”

The reason for the reunion: Patrick was involved in a devastating construction accident that ended his soccer career and delayed his college graduation. But it also kept him out of Vietnam, and more importantly, brought him back to Saint Anselm where he would meet Susan again. 

He explained, “What I thought was the worst thing that ever happened to me turned out to be one of the best.”

Their marriage was in May of 1971. The couple’s first year of marriage was unconventional. They spent a year in Texas as part of the VISTA (Volunteers In Service To America) program, an experience that would shape the rest of their professional lives. 

Patrick, a history major, unexpectedly found himself working with special needs children and advocating for low-income kids, a role that steered him into a 41-year-long career in special education. He returned to New Hampshire and became one of the first certified special education teachers in the state; following the landmark 1972 law that guaranteed equal educational rights for children with disabilities.

Susan, a nursing major, found herself working in Head Start programs with children during their year in Texas. It was a revelation that changed her perspective on pediatrics, a field she had previously avoided. She would go on to have a long and successful career as a pediatric nurse practitioner, dedicating over four decades to helping families and children, serving in the same role for 41 years.

Their service extended beyond their careers. For over two decades, they have been active in helping families affected by substance use disorder through the Faster Family Support Group, which they led for 23 years. After losing their own son to substance use, their involvement in the group has taken on a new level of personal significance. 

“It’s been a win-win,” Susan explained, “We’ve been able to help so many people, and it’s helped us in our own grief.”

Patrick and Susan’s love for each other and for the community has been deeply intertwined with their connection to Saint Anselm College. They spoke with fondness of the friendships they formed with professors, monks, and students. 

Now, as Susan enters a new phase of life, having recently retired, she is focused on her passion for writing, particularly about marriage. After speaking to engaged couples for over 40 years, she’s written two books aimed at helping couples navigate the challenges of marriage. She also continues to engage with couples through her blog and speaking engagements, encouraging others to build strong, healthy relationships.

Patrick was born in Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day, which he calls his only claim to fame. Patrick’s family had immigrated to America when he was five years old because his father, a pipe organ builder, had a rare and in-demand profession. Despite the challenge of not having any relatives in the U.S., Patrick’s parents made the move. His mother’s family had to settle in Canada due to immigration quotas in the U.S., but Patrick is grateful they ended up in America. 

He reflects on the struggles of his cousins who remained in Belfast during the Irish Civil War. While he was falling in love with Susan at Saint A’s, they were involved in protests and violent demonstrations, with one cousin even joining the IRA and being imprisoned. Patrick is deeply thankful to his parents for bringing him to the United States, where he feels grateful in comparison to the difficult lives of those left behind in Belfast.

“Everything good in my life has come from Saint Anselm College,” Patrick said, “I’ve lived a charmed life.”