Jean Keyes

Jean Kenyon Keyes, 89, celebrated both her birthday and wedding anniversary in heaven on Tuesday, June 22, 2023. She passed away at Park Place Memory Care, in Fort Wayne, IN. 

Born the oldest child to Martin and Marjorie Knoll, she married Gene Rodney Keyes on June 22, 1952 in Peoria, IL. He died on April 28, 2017 of lymphoma. 

She was preceded in death by her parents and one brother, Martin Knoll Jr. of Peoria. 

Surviving are one son, Rodney (Nadege) Keyes, of Ardmore, AL; two daughters, Kathy (Dan) Stephens, of Canton, MO; Lynne (Steve) Lugo, of Fort Wayne, IN; 10 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild on the way. 

Jeannie worked at a handicapped children's home for a few years, the Credit Bureau of Greater Peoria, Cohen Furniture in Peoria, and retired from Caterpillar Tractor, as an accountant. She loved being with her sisters and getting into all types of shenanigans often causing howling laughter and giggles, which irritated her husband and delighted the women. She loved music and sang 1950s hits at various venues around Fort Wayne with the Senior Saints while at Park Place Assisted Living. She could sing so beautifully the old church hymns in her church choirs and sang in perfect pitch. Jeannie had an affinity towards the elderly, which she passed on to her children, as well as, her love for Jesus. She was an excellent seamstress and even better quilter. And boy, could she make a cherry pie! 

Services will be at Davis/Oswald Funeral Home in Tremont, IL beginning at 10:00am on Saturday July 1, with no visitation. There will be graveside rites at Glendale Memorial Gardens on Route 9 near Pekin following the funeral; a luncheon will be held at the funeral home immediately following graveside rites. 

The family requests that any gifts Jeannie has made, threadbare or well-loved, be brought to the funeral home for viewing. She made many gifts with so much love. There will be a table set aside for her honor. 

Memorials may be made to Alzheimer's research at Alz.org 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Jean Keyes, please visit our floral store.