Joy E. Keeter

Joy Keeter, 86, of Boulder, died peacefully at home on Friday, November 21, 2025. Born to George and Ruth (Hutchinson) Sawhill on December 16, 1938, Joy was the youngest of four children. She was born at Boulder Community Hospital and was raised in East Boulder on the Sawhill family farm, where she lived her entire life. Sawhill is a name familiar in East Boulder – Sawhill Ponds were sold off from the original family farm.

Joy attended the old Valmont school on 61st until the Valmont school and 8 other country schools were consolidated into the new Douglass Elementary School in 1952. She went on to Nevin Platt Middle School and then attended Boulder High School, where she met Harley Ivy “Buddy” Keeter. They both graduated in 1957.

After graduating high school, Joy and Buddy married on June 30, 1957, at Valmont Community Presbyterian Church, where they were congregants until they both passed. After marrying, Buddy and Joy lived in a trailer house across the ditch on the Sawhill family farm. At 19, Bud bought his first truck and started his own trucking business, Harley Keeter Jr. Trucking, Inc. When Joy’s mother passed away, she and Buddy moved into the family house, the “Big House,” on Valmont, where they ran their business, raised their children, and spent retirement. In 1958, their firstborn, daughter, Kristine Elizabeth Keeter, was born. Paul Lynn Keeter was born October 1959, and Benjamin Charles Keeter was born in June 1961. Bud and Joy ran the trucking business for decades. Bud was on the road delivering gravel while Joy ran the office.

When the kids were grown, Bud and Joy began traveling in their motor home. They particularly enjoyed traveling to the Northwest and visiting family in Yuma, AZ. Upon retirement, Bud and Joy sold the trucking business to their son, Ben, who still runs it today.

After retirement, Bud and Joy continued to travel in their motor home and spend time in Arizona.

Joy spent her life loving and supporting her husband. Aside from raising a family and helping run a business, Joy was very much involved in her church. She shared her faith with so many others throughout her life. She led Bible Study Fellowship classes and other Bible studies. She was a devout Christian and even attended church on Sunday before her passing.

In her later life, Joy enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and continued to socialize with church friends.

Joy is preceded in death by her loving husband, Harley “Buddy” Ivy Keeter; grandsons, Jason Paul Keeter and Travis James Keeter. She is survived by her daughter, Kristine Elizabeth Overfelt (Doug), and her sons, Paul Lynn Keeter (Josie) of Las Vegas, and Benjamin Charles Keeter (Mary Kay) of Boulder; grandchildren, Benjamin Scott “Scooter” Keeter (Lindsey), Jessie Lee Keeter (Sarah), and Mary Domenic Love (Hunter); great-grandchildren, Quentin Keeter and Lawson Keeter (“Scooter”), Kaden Keeter (Travis) and Mary Michael Love (Mary Domenic).

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at Valmont Community Presbyterian Church, 3262 61st St, Boulder, CO 80301. To view the service online, visit: https://valmontchurch.org/. A reception will immediately follow in the church.

Honorary Pallbearers: Kathy Houghton, Trish Shaw, Linda Irvine, Donald Sawhill, Judy Parsons, Becky Jones, Susie Permar, Danny Kline.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation to:

Valmont Community Presbyterian Church (www.valmontchurch.org)

TRU Community Care (www.trucare.org)

Alzheimer’s Association of Colorado (www.alz.org)