Mary Jo Keeling

Mary Jo Keeling, of Lubbock, departed this life on December 17, 2018, at age 88.  A time of fellowship and remembrance is scheduled from 7 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, December 19, 2018, at Lake Ridge Chapel and Memorial Designers. Family and friends will gather to celebrate her life at 2 p.m. on Thursday, December 20, 2018, at Lake Ridge Chapel. 

The elder daughter of Nellie and Luther Knox, she was born February 1, 1930, in Sherman, Texas. She graduated from Sherman High School in 1947 and immediately began her banking career at Sherman’s Merchants and Planters National Bank. She married Jack Keeling on October 28, 1950, at Sherman’s Key Memorial Methodist Church. She continued her career in Wolfforth, Texas, at ABC Bank, where she worked for thirty-four years and as a vice president initiated the Bank Ladies program. After a brief retirement, she joined Peoples Bank in Lubbock and developed a Bank Ladies program there, where she worked until her retirement at age 83.

She grew up on a farm in Grayson County and after marriage lived on a farm outside Ropesville for many years. Though she would stay true to her rural roots, she also loved to travel, taking groups of banking customers around Texas, the nation, and the world.  A woman of abiding faith, she was a dedicated member of Lakeridge Methodist Church. Her grandchildren were her greatest joy. She devoted countless hours supporting them in all they did.

She is survived by two sons and daughter-in-laws, Wayne and Julie Keeling, of Lubbock, and David and Judith Keeling, of Ropesville; seven grandchildren, Hanna Cramer and husband, Jess of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Susan Hannagan and husband, J D of Dallas, John Walter Keeling and wife, Maddie of Omaha, Nebraska, William Keeling, of Lubbock, Thomas Keeling, of Dallas, Emily Taylor and husband, Seth of Dalhart, Stephanie Keeling, of Lubbock; seven great-grandchildren, Emma Brann, Henry and Lily Cramer, all of Ann Arbor, Jackson Taylor, of Dalhart, Amory and Edward Hannagan, of  Dallas, Mila Keeling, of Omaha; and her sister and brother-in-law Mae and Bob Burton, of Sherman, and nephews Lynn, Alan, and Brian Burton. She was preceded in death by her husband.

Mary Jo’s family is deeply grateful to Abe, Connie, Essie, and everyone else at Abiding Care and Glenda, Dr. Brown, and everyone else at Hospice of Lubbock.