[1] During WW2 she worked as a naval account clerk on Garden Island in Sydney Harbour.
She mainly worked with Douglas Stewart, particularly to research and collect historical Australian songs and bush ballads.
She was active in a number of literary associations, most notably the Australian Society of Authors.
Keesing was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the 1979 Australian Day Honours for service to literature.
It is for research on aspects of Australian life and culture using the resources and archives of the State Library of New South Wales.