Keer was sent to school in Malvern in England and lived there after completing her education until her father moved to Canada, when she joined him.
She was based in Dover for the next five years before she served in Natal during the Second Boer War in 1899 for which she received the Royal Red Cross and the Queen's and King's South African medals.
[1] She returned to Britain at the end of the war and was based in Colchester, where she joined Queen Alexandra's Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS).
Her quiet, modest confidence, confidence evidently born of knowledge, cannot fail to beget the conviction that the choice which placed the reins of government in this important position in her hands and that she will maintain the dignity and prestige which the Service has acquired during the tenure of office of the present Matron-in-Chief Miss Sidney Browne, R.R.C.
During her time as the Matron in Chief Miss Keer was involved in improving the pay, allowances and conditions of the nurses of the QAIMNS and making changes to the Military Families Hospitals.Keer was appointed as matron-in-chief of Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps from 5 April 1906, succeeding Sidney Browne.