Carol Ann Keys

Carol Ann Keys, 83, Greenfield, Missouri, died Wednesday, September 28, 2022 during a respite stay at CMH Ash Grove Health Care Facility. She was born November 26, 1938 in Arcola, Missouri, daughter of Carl and Marie White. She had been on hospice for two years preceding her death, as an elusive-to-diagnose disease slowly robbed her of her ability to walk, then stand, finally leaving only one arm and hand with which to communicate. She was able to write until a few months before her death and her smile and bright eyes were only extinguished toward the very end of her life.

After beginning her schooling at Arcola, she attended and graduated from Greenfield High School in 1956.

She met Donald Keys while helping her sister in Biloxi, Mississippi, and during her senior class trip to Biloxi they became engaged. They married August 19, 1956 and recently celebrated their 66th wedding anniversary. After eight years of military life, the family moved to Greenfield in 1966.

She was JFA leader for many years while her children were young, teaching such crafts as basket weaving, sewing and leathercrafts. She taught Sunday School classes for many years at Arcola, Sharon, and Liberty Baptist churches as well as leading and teaching during Vacation Bible School.

At Sharon, she instituted an after-school youth program called “Branches,” and at Liberty taught and worked with the “Team Kids” program. She continued to help with the Team Kids program even after she was wheelchair bound. She was involved with the WMU and was local WMU leader at Liberty Baptist Church. She was the Ozark Prairie Baptist Associational WMU director for a time.

During the late 1970s and 1980s, she worked as a substitute cook at the high school, Horton’s Five and Dime, and for several years sewing at Dunbrooke Sportswear.

She raised a garden and cooked, canned, and froze fruits and vegetables, and she dehydrated her grandchildren’s favorite, fruit leather.

She sewed, crocheted and knitted, making many of her children’s clothes until they were able, from her tutelage, to make their own. She continued sewing and creating for her grandchildren with such treats as Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtle costumes and a crocheted dress.

In 2004, she began writing a recipe column for the Four-State Farm and Home monthly newspaper called “Carol’s Country Kitchen” and continued for 10 years, and also was an advertising representative for the publication. She also worked part-time for fstop Publications, LLC, parent company of the Four-State Farm and Home, The Sarcoxie Record, Pierce City Leader-Journal and Jasper County Citizen.

Survivors are her husband, Donald Keys; four daughters: Dawn Cole (Jerry), Johnson City, Tennessee; Angie Maxwell (Dallas), Everton; Sherri Caraway, Paragould, Arkansas; Katrina Garber (Keith), Aurora; one son, Tony Keys (Deanae), Everton; three sisters: Fern Burns (Norman), Harrisonville, Jo Etta Gleason (John), Arcola, Ruth Wilkins (Tom), Everton; one brother, Kenny White (Marguerite), Cocoa, Florida; grandchildren: Melinda McNeil (Chris), Thad Cole (Amanda), Lydia Cole, Doug Keys, Josh Maxwell (Melissa), Levi Maxwell, Luke Osborn (Zessna), Nick Osborn (Ashley), Sam Osborn (Morgen), Hayley Osborn; and great-grandchildren: Alistair McNeil, Felicity McNeil, Krista Keys, Gavin Maxwell, Abigail Maxwell, Arlee Maxwell, Zolan Osborn, Rylee Osborn, Grahm Osborn, August Osborn, Tristen Osborn, and Grayson Osborn.

She was preceded in death by grandsons Andrew Maxwell and Bode Keys; brothers, Elton White and James White; and sister, Hazel Cripps; as well as her parents.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 1, 2022, at Liberty Baptist Church. Burial followed in Liberty Cemetery. The family received friends Saturday morning at 10 a.m. until service time in the church.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Liberty Baptist Church. Online condolences may be shared at www.greenfieldfuneralchapel.com. Services were under the care of Greenfield Funeral Chapel.