Arline Keith

Arline B. Keith, 90, died in Arden Courts on December 10, 2015, in Wilmington, DE after several years of declining health.
She was born September 9, 1925, in Waltham, MA, the daughter of Louis and Annie (Zelinetsky) Tankle. Her family moved to Lewiston, ME in 1935 and she graduated from Lewiston High School in 1943. Following high school she attended the University in Maine in Orono and graduated with a music degree in 1947, and also studied at the Julliard Conservatory in New York during the summers of 1942 and 1946.
In 1947 she married Morris Pilot in 1947 (died 2005) and moved to Boston, MA where Morris attended law school and where her son Robert was born. After Morris graduated they settled in Bangor, ME, where her daughter Rohna was born.
Arline and Morris were divorced in 1960 and in 1963 she married Edward Keith of Bangor (died 1991).
Arline had a strong sense of family and Jewish identity, inner strength, wisdom and humor. She was a passionate vocalist, pianist, actress, student, teacher and loved to perform. She was active in many local musical and theatrical groups and taught children with learning disabilities in a program sponsored by the Bangor Recreation Department, as well as to elementary students in the Bangor school system’s Children’s Theater Program.
She had a strong interest in women’s rights and was not afraid to advocate for them. She contributed to the Bangor Area Women’s Political Caucus in 1976 and throughout her life made it her goal to supported local non-profit agencies and Jewish causes for social justice.
In later life, Arline developed clowning as a hobby and performed at many local events and schools, calling herself “Princess Ding-A-Ling” much to the amusement of her audiences young and old.
She supported local artists and collected paintings, sculpture, pottery, dolls, colorful hats and even stuffed animals.
She moved to Westchester, PA in 1995 to be near her daughter Rohna’s family, continuing to clown and to read to children in the Kesher Israel Synagogue preschool program. She became a percussionist in a senior community musical group which called themselves “The Grateful Alive” band and performed for area senior communities.
Arline was a member of Beth Israel Synagogue in Bangor and Kesher Israel Synagogue in Westchester, PA.
Arline maintained a positive attitude and acted on what she wanted to achieve personally, but first and foremost she was proud and supportive of her family.
Arline leaves behind 2 children: Rohna Paskow and husband Glenn of Westchester, PA, Robert Pilot and wife Joanne of Raleigh, NC; 4 grandchilden: Aliza Sawdon and husband Vaughn, Adam Paskow, Joseph Pilot, and Kimberly Pilot; and 2 great-grandchildren: Levi and Maya Sawdon.
A funeral service will be held, 11 a.m., Sunday, December 13, 2015 at the Jewish Funeral Chapel, 118 Center Street, Bangor. Interment will be in the Webster Avenue Cemetery on Webster Avenue, Bangor. The family invites relatives and friends to share conversation and refreshments at the Family Reception Center of Brookings-Smith, 163 Center Street, following the interment.
Those who wish to remember Arline in a special way may make gifts in her memory to The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, 322 Eighth Ave., 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com.