Joyce Marie (Ives) Keeten of Glade, Kansas, passed away at 1:47AM at the Logan Manor in Logan, Kansas, on January 11th, 2016, at the age of 75. She was born in Stockton, Kansas, on February 21st, 1940, to Harold Ashley Ives and Hilma Grace (Fisher) Ives. She was the 7th of 8 children. She worked for the phone company in Hays, Kansas, for several years before and after marrying Donald Dean Keeten on February 23rd, 1964. They were brought together in holy matrimony at the Christian Church in Stockton, Kansas. They were a little over a month shy of celebrating 52 years of marriage.
She worked for the Phillipsburg Long Term Care Facility in Phillipsburg, Kansas, for 33 years as a nurses’ aid. Her dedication to helping those in need extended beyond her occupation to include friends and family who needed someone to drive them, sometimes long distances, to see doctors. She held many hands as people wept with pain and offered reassurances when the darkness of despair threatened to overwhelm them. Her extensive community of friends and family knew they could ask her for help, and if she could give it, she would. She enjoyed quilting, a hobby she shared with her mother. She tried to give a blanket to every new baby in the family and a quilt to every new marriage. She enjoyed playing the piano and performed that service for the Glade Methodist Church, and also for weddings for many decades.
Joyce was a much beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. We can find solace in the fact that we know she has arrived at a better place. She is now and forever shall be in the arms of her beloved Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
She is survived by her loving husband, Donald Dean Keeten, and two sons and their wives Jeffrey Dean Keeten and Janet Elaine (Hesler) Keeten of Dodge City, Kansas, and Gregrey Lynn Keeten and Tonya Nicole (Stites) Keeten of Glade, Kansas. She has six grandchildren: Caleb Dean, Kollette Danielle, Cadence Liliana, Kasen Lane, Kagan Riley, and Karissa Kilynn. She is survived by a brother, Max Elmer Ives of Bella Vista, Arkansas, and four sisters, Altha Elaine Yoxell of Wichita, Kansas, Norma Pauline Moore of Bridgeport, Nebraska, Ruth Nadine Fenton and her husband Raleigh of Stockton, Kansas, and Dixie Linn Rose and her husband Henry of Levelland, Texas. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Norma Jean (Hartford) Ives of Kansas City, Kansas. There are also two of her nieces who were raised by Harold and Hilma Ives, Marcie Blasko and her husband Ron and Sandy Hubbard and her husband Jovie. Marcie and Sandy were much closer to her than nieces. She considered them to be her sisters.
She is preceded in death by her daughter, Deana Marie, who is now in the arms of her loving mother for the rest of eternity. She is also preceded in death by two brothers, Ashley J. Ives and Harold Dean Ives, and two sisters-in-law, Earlyne (Buss) Ives and LeVonne (Pauley) Ives, and one brother-in-law, Edward Everette Yoxell.
Cremation was chosen. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 15 in the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel in Phillipsburg with Pastor Joel Hiesterman officiating. Burial will follow in the Marvin Cemetery, Glade.
Visitation will be from 9:00 to 9:00 Thursday at the funeral home with the family receiving friends from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be given to the Logan Manor, Phillips County Home Health or the Glade United Methodist Church.
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