Skip to main content

(The website for Keely Lake's In Memoriam can be found here)

Keely K. Lake, 48, passed away on January 15, 2020, at the age of 48.

She was the daughter of James and Dorothy (Burcham) Lake, born on December 8, 1971. She had recently moved back to Hot Springs to care for her father.

Keely graduated from Hot Springs High school in 1990, the University of South Dakota with a BA in Classics in 1994 and the University of Iowa with a PhD in Classics in 2001.

She was a visiting guest professor at Gettysburg College in 2001 and Professor of Classical Greek and Latin at Wayland Academy from 2002 until 2018.

She was teaching online courses for Montclair State, Wayne State University and One Schoolhouse.

She was an active member of the Vergilian Society, several Classic related boards and organizations and was a reader/table leader for standardized AP exams in Latin.

Keely was an avid gardener, enjoyed cooking, reading, traveling, and collecting books. She also traveled extensively which was a passion of hers.

She is survived by her father, James Lake; and her precious cats, Penelope and Gemini. She is preceded in death by her mother.

Visitation services will be held 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Thursday, January 23, 2020, at Chamberlain McColley’s Funeral Home in Hot Springs, SD.

A memorial has been established in Keely’s name to benefit the Vergilian Society. Memorials can be sent to Dr. Keely Lake Memorial c/o Dr. Barbara Boyd, Bowdoin College, 7600 College Station, Brunswick, ME 04011

---

(Photo: "Candle" by Shawn Carpenter, licensed under CC BY 2.0)