Carolyn KEIFER

1937 - 2022

KEIFER, Carolyn M.

Carolyn M. Keifer, 84, of Sugarcreek Township, passed away at her home June 11, 2022 - 17 days shy of her 85th birthday - in the company of loved ones.

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 28, 1937, to Ralph

Compton and Ruby (Brooks) Compton, much of her youth was spent with her grandmother and family in Alabama. She met the love of her life, Herbert P. during a vacation in

Jacksonville, FL, they fell in love, and after a short-time and a great many letters later, they married on February 5, 1954. They were married for two months short of their 64th wedding anniversary a result of his predeceasing her in death.

From her early work as a banquet server, came a great many anecdotes, as was true of her time as an assistant manager at her best friend's Hallmark store. Her final working days found her juggling many an incoming call, employees, and responsibilities as a dispatcher for the City of Columbus.

Mom loved hearing and telling a good joke, and was often the first to laugh at her own - at times so uncontrollably - what she was attempting to share could not be understood. Her laugh was truly a contagious laugh and she was always the life of the party. She loved playing a great many games including dominoes and cards, and was an avid reader, puzzler, and a fan of football and basketball with a particular

enthusiasm for Ohio State and the Bengals.

She had an intense love of animals (as did dad); their homes rarely without. Opie, an abandoned cat she bottle fed made the local paper; and Stuart, the rat she rescued from a Big Lots and became a pet she adored and sobbed over at his passing, were but a couple of the many loved and cherished over the years. In her final years, and after her loss of dad, it became questionable if her dog, Dennis, may have been more beloved than any of her three human children.

A tremendous social butterfly, mom was never without the perfect companion for a trip out shopping (or possibly more likely returning), going to the movies, eating out (dessert

included, if not first); and when dad was alive, came a great many tales from their new year's eve group annual events,

salmon fishing weekends, numerous cruises and other travels.

Mom's love of Bill's donuts, Marian's and Troni's pizza, Esther Price (donuts, pizza, candy in general...) were the likely

culprits behind her years-long scuffles with Weight Watchers and TOPS. As an avid birder, mom could be counted on to identify, and keep "her birds" fed. She could often also be found working in her yard and amongst her flower beds – for which she took great pleasure, or perusing the many local nurseries for the perfect perennial addition.

She is survived by three daughters: Debbie Keifer (David Fathauer), Vickie Miller (Dale Dale), Kim (Doug) Wall; and a sister, June (Gerrit) DeGraaf; a former son-in-law, Geoff Glasener, and four grandchildren: Michael Glasener (Maria Walters), Ben (Kristen) Glasener, and Alex Glasener (Shelby Penwell) and Tyler Miller; two great-grandchildren: Bryce and Elliot Mae and a host of cousins, friends, and neighbors, with particular appreciation and gratitude to her friend, Pat Jones, who took care of her beloved dogs Dennis and Skylar in her

final months and who subsequently adopted them.

A very special thanks to Jeff Davis, the hospice caregiver, whose kindness and compassion was felt and appreciated by the family.

Funeral service will be held 11:30 AM, Thursday, June 16th at David's United Church of Christ, 170 W. David Road, Kettering, where visitation will be held from 10:00 AM until the time of service. Interment will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to SICSA, The Greater Dayton Humane Society, or an advocacy of your choice.

Online condolences may be made to the family at

www.mccolaughfuneralhome.com