Betty Gayle Keyes
February 25, 1926 — August 29, 2017
Betty Gayle Keyes
Betty Keyes, age 91, Henry, the widow of Robert Keyes, died peacefully in the Watertown Care and Rehabilitation Center in Watertown on Tuesday morning, August 29, 2017.
A memorial visitation will be held Friday, September 1, 2017 from 4-6 p.m. at Furness Funeral Home of Clark.
Memorial services will be held Saturday, September 2, 2017 at 10:30 AM at the United Methodist Church in Clark with Pastor Mark Tracy officiating and Dorothy Fuller, organist. Honorary urn bearers will be her grandchildren and great grandchildren. A private burial will be in the Lorinda Cemetery, Henry.
Betty Gayle Shirk was born on February 25, 1926 in Clark, SD at her grandmother's home, the Fannie Shirk Birthing Home. Betty was the 1st of five children of John and Alice (Palmquist) Shirk. Betty grew up on a farm near Clark. She attended the one room school house Lone Valley School near Garden City for grades 1-8. She then attended Clark High School for grades 9-12 and graduated from Clark in 1944. After graduating from high school, Betty attended Northern Normal and got her 90 Day teaching degree. Betty came back to the Clark area and taught grades 1-8 in a country school for her 1st year. Her 2nd year of teaching she moved to Thorpe Consolidated Schools and taught grades 1-4. Her 3rd year of teaching brought her to the Henry School system. She taught there for one year.
Betty met Robert Keyes on a blind date at the local movie house in Watertown. Robert and Betty were married January 26, 1947. They had three children; Gayla Diane, Donald Irvin and Bonita Jean. Robert and Betty farmed in Clark for three years before moving to Henry in March of 1951. They farmed dairy until the farm was sold in 1975 when they moved into town. After retiring from the farm, they became "Snowbirds" and spent 17 years in Mesa, AZ.
While in Henry, Betty was a member of the United Methodist Church for many years. She was a member of the United Methodist Women's Group, a member of the Chattering Chicks Home Extension Group, and was a 4-H Leader for their kids. Betty enjoyed sewing, crocheting and playing cards.
Betty moved back to Clark in 2003 after Robert passed in 2002. She resided at Wookey's Independent Living and Assisted Living Center since 2006. Betty was moved to the Watertown Rehab and Care Center on July 27, 2017.
Betty was preceded in death by her parents, John & Alice Shirk; her husband Robert, her daughter Gayla and a brother-in-law Elton Eske.
She is survived by her son Donald (Monica) Keyes from Blaine, MN.; her daughter Bonita (Danny) Sharp from Henry, SD; grandchildren Kimberly (Geiner) Soto Kyle Keyes, Chadd Keyes, Nicky (Troy) Watson, and Joe (Nicole) Sharp; great grandchildren Trinity, Taylor, Teagan, Karli and Kylynn; sisters, Joyce (Louie) Brush, Lois Eske, Jackie (Tom) Fuller; brother Perry Shirk; and many nieces and nephews.
Arrangements are with the Furness Funeral Home of Clark where there is an online registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Betty Gayle Keyes, please visit our flower store.
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