Donald Keith Botkins

DONALD KEITH BOTKINS Donald Keith Botkins, 95, was born October 15, 1929, in Moberly, MO to Orva and Bea (Powell) Botkins. He resided at Meadow Ridge Senior Living until he ascended peacefully, surrounded by his family he loved and cherished to meet his Savior Jesus in the afternoon hour of Thursday, October 17, 2024, reunited with his beloved Mary Catherine and to spend eternity. Keith's family who continues to live on to celebrate his life together and cherish his memory are his beloved sons, Steve (Pam) Botkins and Doug (Mona) Botkins; grandchildren, Chris (Shawn) Botkins, Gerald (Cheryl) Botkins, Corey Botkins, Devin Botkins, Craig (Ashley) Nolke, Chad (Jamie) Nolke, and Cody (Paige) Nolke; thirteen great-grandchildren, four great-great-grandchildren; brother-in-law, David (Wanda) Teter; sister-in-law, Mary Lou Teter; nephews and nieces. Loved ones that preceded him were his parents; his beloved wife; brother-in-law, Kenneth Teter; sister-in-law, Phronie Farris; granddaughter-in-law, Andrea Botkins; nephews and nieces. After Donald Keith Botkins received his father's signature granting permission, as he was only 19 years of age at the time, he would marry the love of his life and best friend, Mary Catherine (Teter) Botkins on July 22, 1949. Their 72-year journey had begun only a short time before because of two friends who convinced Keith that the woman serving him chocolate shakes behind the counter at Burton's Rexall Drug store in Moberly MO would be a good match for them to go on a double date. Keith and Mary made Carpenter Street Baptist Church their church family, and home. Keith had been a lifelong member of Carpenter Street attending there since birth with his mother and eventually becoming a deacon of the church. Many family and friends have supported and celebrated life's blessings with Keith and Mary during their marriage through Sunday services, Sunday school classes, small group worship, dinners, and church gatherings. Keith, being a small-town boy raised up on Monroe St. in Moberly, just around the corner and down the street from Carpenter Street Baptist church, found himself a country girl in Mary Catherine. One of Keith's greatest joys was making sure that Mary had the finer things in life. He would provide beautiful homes with all the amenities that she appreciated, such as handmade furniture and cabinetry in Mary's kitchens. Mary being a country girl as she was, those homes also included a little acreage so she could be sure to have the critters that she loved such as horses, chickens, dogs, and cats, of which there were many over the years. He also made sure that she had a nice car to drive, and normally whatever was the top manufacturer and model of the time. Keith was a regular patron of the local jewelry store where he often purchased fine jewelry as a token of his love for his sweetheart. Starting at a young age, Keith had ambitions and goals of being able to provide a legacy for his family, which he accomplished, and has provided support for so many family members and friends. This journey started when he was not very old by borrowing his father's pickup to go gather coal along the roadside and sell it to others for residential heating. Being the entrepreneur that he was, this would evolve into numerous ventures hauling products for hire, everything from water to hay, grain, steel, propane, cheese, and numerous other freight. With each opportunity, the building blocks that would eventually lead to various long-term contracts and relationships would result in a very successful business, Keith Botkins Trucking Incorporated. Along the way, his sons Steve and Doug, would become infused into the businesses and start many of their own as they grew and became key components of lifelong family business ventures that would include their families they would have. Other ventures that Keith, his boys, and their families would manage included real estate properties, S & K Cycle, Steve's Honda, Doug's Yamaha, Steve Botkins Trucking, Steve's toys, and Mary's crafting ventures. The entrepreneurial spirit carries on still today with grandsons and granddaughter-in-law businesses; Gerald Botkins Trucking, Botkins Construction, Nolke Trucking, and Shear Attractions, each receiving support from Keith and Mary. He was not a man of many hobbies but the few that he had always included his family. Keith would also provide for his boy's hobbies as well and was always interested in what they loved. He would roller skate as a young man and then in later years with grandkids at the local roller rinks. He always enjoyed being around the water and many hours were spent boating and skiing, which always resulted in sunburns and blisters for the redheaded fair fair-skinned man that he was. First, at the Lake of the Ozarks and then later, Keith and Mary would purchase their little spot on Holiday Acres, which provided many years of family fun, togetherness, and a lifetime of memories. Keith was a very social man which involved membership in Kiwanis, and Gideons, a charter member of the Randolph County Outboard Motor Club, Square Dancing clubs, and the Moberly Area Chamber of Commerce. Donald Keith Botkins' legacy will live on in the lives of his dearly loved family and of so many others. Memorials are suggested to Carpenter Street Baptist Church. Words of comfort and support were shared with the family at a visitation held at the Cater Funeral Home. Services honoring and celebrating Donald Keith's life were held at the Carpenter Street Baptist Church, Moberly. Committal prayer took place at the Oakland Cemetery.