Leta Fern Kell Keister

1916 - 2013

Leta Fern Kell Keister passed away quietly in her sleep on Sunday, April 21, 2013, at the age of 96.
She was born Aug. 29, 1916, in Centralia, Ill., to Cecil Edward Kell and Verna Ruth Copple Kell and was one of five children. She studied Court Reporting and worked in a finance office before marrying Joe Tivis Keister on December 29, 1941. The family moved to Thomasville, Ga., in 1957 where she was a member of the First Methodist Church and later joined Morningside Methodist Church. She was a volunteer Pink Lady at Archbold Hospital for 19 years and was a member of the Eastern Star. She enjoyed traveling, working in her yard and taking care of her family, which included her cats.
A memorial service will be held Sunday, May 5, 2013, at Morningside Methodist Church in Thomasville, Ga. The regular church service is at 11 a.m. with the first Sunday lunch to follow at 12:30 p.m. and the memorial will follow the luncheon at 2 p.m. Family and friends are invited to join us in the celebration of her life for the service, the luncheon or just the memorial if you would like.
Survivors include her brother, Jim Kell of Springfield, Ill.; her six children, Carol Salisbury, Joyce Early, Margaret Ann Keister, Ruth Keister Pfaff, Tom Keister and Beverly Keister; five grandchildren, Lee Salisbury and wife Therese, Donna Salisbury Bernard and husband Harry, Jon Early, Jason Early and wife Stacey and Sara Keister; nine great-grandchildren, Leslie, Chloe and James Salisbury, Allyson Goodiel, Ben and Alex Early, and Cooper, Cole and Clay Early.