Larry Dean Keyes, 78, of Brownstown, died in the early morning on, Friday, July 10, 2015 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, St. Louis, Missouri.
A Memorial Service will be at 11:00 a.m. on July 13, 2015 at Gieseking-Claggett Funeral Home, Brownstown with Kevin Bonifacius officiating. Burial will be held at a later date. Visitation will be for one hour prior to the service. Memorials are requested to be made to the First Christian Church Building Fund, Brownstown or the donors’ choice. Online condolences may be expressed at www.giesekingfh.com .
Larry Dean Keyes was born in Herrick, IL on Thursday, April 1, 1937 to Charles Malin and Bonnie Virginia (Brown) Keyes. During WWII he lost his father and after his mother remarried he was raised by his stepfather, Morgan “Jiggs” Evans. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. On January 26, 1957 he married Sue Frances Kistler in Fillmore and during the early years of their marriage he worked for Nickle Plate Railroad, Lafayette, IN. He was a truck driver and retired from Star Trucking, Morton, IL. Also, during his working career he assisted on many local farms. He was a member of the First Christian Church and the VFW Post #9770 both of Brownstown and the Crawford-Hale American Legion Post#95, Vandalia.
He is survived by: his wife of 58 years, Sue Keyes of Brownstown; his children, Cindy (Jimmy) Summers of Vandalia, Pam (Steven) Sidwell of Brownstown, and Brent (Janet) Keyes of Brownstown; his 10 grandchildren, Chastity (Ted) Betz of Hudson, OH, Jaime (Paul) Farley of Mt. Juliet, TN, Ashley (Zach) Summers of Vandalia, Meg Summers of Vandalia, Chris (Shannon) Sidwell of Vandalia, Stephanny (Clint) Brown of Vandalia, Lukas (Kristen) Keyes of Effingham, Braun (fiancé Lyndsey) Cyr of Rusk, TX, Thea (Jay Powers of Troy, IL, Chamae (fiancé John) Cyr of San Francisco, CA; his 20 great grandchildren, Bradyn, Nathan, Alexis, Allisa, Ryder, Makenna, Jax, Andy, Kaleb, Max, Baelynd, Cazdyn, Laela, Jenner, Henley, Kimber, Kaden, Carson, Boston and Merrek; his brothers, David (Donna) Keyes of Paducah, KY and Jimmy Evans of Fillmore; his sisters, Patty (Ronnie) Eller of Pittsburg and Teresa Alexander of Fillmore.
Larry was preceded in death by: his parents and stepfather, sisters, Camilla “Micky” Harrison and Dana Heck and two grandsons, Matthew Sidwell and Jacob Summers.
