What is your first memory of John? Share a favorite memory you have of John. Tell us about a special moment you shared with John. Describe a time when John made you laugh or smile. What is something you will always remember about John? Talk about a shared experience you had with John. What is something you did together that you enjoyed? Describe a place or activity that reminds you of John. Tell us about a personal story or anecdote involving John. What is something you learned from John?

Add a Memory

Send Flowers

Make a Donation

Share Obituary

John Christopher Keys

Obituary

Guest Book

About

Southern Illinois University

John Keys Obituary

Obituary published on Legacy.com by Dove-Sharp & Rudicel Funeral Home - North Vernon on Nov. 7, 2025.

Publish in a newspaper

John Christopher Keys, 25, of Elizabethtown, passed away on November 4, 2025.
Born May 19, 2000, in Winfield, Illinois, he was the son of Brian and Teresa (Shumacher) Keys.
John worked at Cummins Engine in Columbus performing engine test cells for 2 years. He was a 2018 graduate of Wheaton Warrenville South High School in Wheaton, Illinois. In 2022, John graduated from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois with a Bachelor of Science. He enjoyed hiking, riding bicycles, riding motorcycles, boating, and lawn care.
Survivors include his parents, Brian and Teresa Keys of Wheaton, Illinois; sister, Emily (Leonel) Diaz of Algonquin, Illinois; grandparents Linda Keys of Metamora, Illinois, and Pat and Laverne Shoemacher, of Alden, Iowa.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather, John Keys.
Memorials may be made through the funeral home for the Northern Illinois Food Bank.
A memorial service for John is pending at the St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church in Wheaton, Illinois. His final resting place will be Oakwood Cemetery in Metamora, Illinois.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of John Christopher Keys, please visit our floral store.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Sign John Keys's Guest Book

Not sure what to say?

Recent Activity

Yesterday

Henry posted to the memorial.

Yesterday

Steve L posted to the memorial.

November 8, 2025

Lisa Jackson posted to the memorial.

9 Entries

Henry

Yesterday

RIP John Keys, I´ll never forget throwing around the football in the snow in your backyard after our boy scout meeting. John is a great guy and I´ll never forget him

Steve L

Yesterday

We're all going to miss you dearly brother.

I didn't have many opportunities to run into you back at school, but working with you was always a pleasure, I was incredibly excited and beyond proud to see where you started and eventually step into your Level 5 role at the tech center. You were incredibly driven and dedicated to your craft and you truly excelled at it.

Even more than that it was always a bright moment when I ran into you in passing, and the times we were able to socialize outside of work were always a treat, and I will cherish those times deeply.

Rest easy John, you made an impact on all of us that will never be forgotten

Lisa Jackson

November 8, 2025

Oh Theresa, Brian,
My heart is just broken at this news. It was such a blessing to steward John, and the rest of our little youth group for all those years. There are no words - Stuey and Tyler convey there condelensces as well. -Lisa Jackson

Sandy Kretschmer

November 8, 2025

Many fond memories of the boys together in Cub Scouts and the growing up years as "Whittier" families. John showed great character even as a young boy. Deeply saddened by this news. Sincerely Sandy, Madeline and Henry Kretschmer

How you can show support

Send flowers

Consider sending flowers.

Add photos

Share their life with photo memories.

Plant trees

Honor them by planting trees in their memory.

Follow this page

Get email updates whenever changes are made.

Donate in Memory

Make a donation in memory of your loved one.

Share this page

Invite other friends and family to visit the page.

Julie Michalak

November 7, 2025

Theresa and Brian,
We are deeply saddened by the loss of John. We remember him in the early years at St Paul. And then seeing him years later out on the XC trails competing against our Alex. Gods blessings. Our deepest thoughts and prayers are with all of you.
The Michalaks.

Dallin Murray

November 7, 2025

John, we will miss you at the tech center. I always enjoyed working with you and i know others did as well. I know I will miss your smile and happiness in the work place. You were fun to be around. John did not like to be bored, we had a couple nights with little work in test cell 207 about a year ago, and boy did we hear about it. John was basically begging for anything to do at the cell. I am glad he made bis way to the level 5 position. He sure enjoyed helping out with multiple test cells. To John parents and family: John was a great guy, you did a great job raising him. I am sorry for your loss and ours in Columbus. Please know that many friends are praying for you amd him. To paraphrase some scriptures that summarize the John I knew: consider the happy and blessed state of those that keep God's commandments, and as soon as any man, woman, or child departs from this life, their spirit is taken back home to that God that gave them life. I know John's spirit lives on and you will be reunited with him one day.

Tyler B.

November 7, 2025

Hey John, I'll miss you man. You had great taste in bikes and cars, you had such a good outlook on everything and knew what mattered and what didn't. I'll miss joking around together and making work a better place. Nobody here will forget you.

Kate & Doug

November 7, 2025

Doug and I are shocked and saddened by this tragic news. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all as you make sense of this. Remote control cars.Camp Freeland Leslie. Carpooling ( to the "northside") and his sweet impish smile. Forever in our hearts.