Colleen Blanche Christensen Keyworth

1929 - 2019

Colleen Blanche Christensen Keyworth

Des Moines - Colleen Blanche Christensen Keyworth, 90, passed peacefully from this life on Saturday, May 18, 2019, at her home, surrounded by loving family. In agreement with her wishes, cremation rites have been accorded. A private family gathering celebrating Colleen's life will be held at the family cabin in northern Minnesota later this summer. Any memorials and offering of condolences can be submitted to her home in Des Moines, Iowa.

Colleen was born on January 31, 1929, in St. Paul, Minnesota, to Ralph and Melba Christensen. She was an avid piano player from a very young age; active in musical endeavors both at church and in public life, even singing with her sisters on the radio. She was united in marriage to Donald Keyworth whom she met at Temple Baptist church at the age of 14. They eventually made their home in Des Moines, Iowa. Don was a professor of Philosophy at Drake University and Colleen was a Homemaker. She took loving care of their 3 children and assumed all responsibility for the care and upkeep of their family home—wall-papering, painting and decorating every room, as she certainly had an eye for style. Both Colleen and Don were longtime members of Westover Baptist Church, Don serving as Choir Director and Colleen as Organist for over 40 years. They shared not only a great love for music, but also the outdoors and a cabin on the lake where Colleen created and maintained a magnificent garden. Summers at the lake were a time for family and fun, and everyone would agree, Colleen was a master at the game of Croquet. Her humor, beauty and wit kept most of us smiling, and her kind attentiveness to all those in her life will be forever cherished.

She is survived and lovingly remembered by her sisters Marion and Peggy, her brothers Danny and Greg, and her children Brian (Susie), Kathleen and Bonnie. She has four grandchildren, Alex (Laura), Hannah, Elizabeth and Emily and ten great-grandchildren. There are also many dear cousins, nieces and nephews who were very special to her. Colleen was preceded into eternal life by her husband of 62 years, Donald; her parents, Ralph and Melba; a brother, Bobby and one sister, Jean.