Danile Keily-Zent

Danile Keily-Zent, 89, Tappen, ND, died November 12, 2010, at St. Gabriel's Community, Bismarck. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Paul's Catholic Church, Tappen, with Rev. Jerome Hunkler officiating. Burial will be in the Fisher Cemetery, Tappen. Visitation will be held from 2:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. Wednesday at Eastgate Steele Memorial Chapel, Steele, where a prayer service will begin at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Danile was born May 18, 1921, in Fergus Falls, MN, the third child of Dan and Mary Noonan Keily. In 1922, the family moved to Tappen, ND, where Danile attended Tappen Public School and graduated from Tappen High School in 1938. In 1940, she entered the convent of St. Benedict, St. Joseph, MN, and transferred to and was a founding member of the Annunication Monastery in 1945. In 1943 she received registration as a medical technologist and worked as a medical technologist at St. Alexius Medical Center from 1943 – 1960. Danile was supervisor of the lab from 1945 – 1960, and also started the School of Medical Technology at the hospital. In 1962, she received her M.S. from the University of Minnesota. From 1962 until 1965, she worked to establish the University of Mary and taught sciences at the university. In 1968, she received a Ph.D. degree in biomedical sciences from Marquette University, in Millwaukee, WI, when she was also awarded the National Science Faculty Fellowship. In 1969, Danile was listed among the Outstanding Educators of America. In 1972, she was dispensed from vows with Annunciation Monastery following which she moved to Minneapolis, MN, where she taught until 1978. She moved to Seattle, WA, in 1978, where she taught medical students at the college of Naturopathic Medicine. During her career, Danile published numerous scientific articles and a chemistry book. Danile married Edward Zent in 1980. In 1986, she retired from teaching in Seattle, and they moved to Yakima, WA, where she continued to teach sciences part-time at Heritage Univeristy in Toppenish, WA, until 1995. Edward died on July 7, 2001. In 2003, Danile moved from Yakima, WA, to Tappen, ND. Danile is survived by her sisters and brother, Ione Baker, Seattle, WA, Margaret Keily, Yakima, WA, Nora Eileen Anderson, Bismarck, Gladys Keily, Tappen, Rosemarie Birrenkott, Steele, Dan Keily, Tappen; and numerous nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward; her parents, Dan and Mary Keily; her sister and brother-in-law, Viola and Scott Currie; brothers-in-law, Blaine Baker and Joe Birrenkott;sister-in-law, Lois Keily; and one brother and two sisters who died in infancy.

Danile Keily-Zent

May 18, 1921 - November 12, 2010