Alma Lucille White Keeling, 98, went to her heavenly home Wednesday, October 30, 2019 from her earthly home on Bellwood Road, Bardstown, KY. Lucille was born in Washington County, November 9, 1920. Lucille would have been 99 in ten more days.
Lucille was a member of The First Cedar Creek Baptist Church where through the years she had been a leader of almost every class, committee and mission group. In 1944, Lucille helped organize the first Vacation Bible School held at Cedar Creek. For several years Lucille sang alto in the church choir. Lucille Keeling and Lucille Siegrist, another church member and friend, diligently researched the history of the Cedar Creek Baptist Church and prepared the base for the history book written for the 200th church birthday in 1981 themed “To God Be the Glory!”
Lucille’s school years began at Stringtown and Early Time Schools. She graduated from Bardstown High School in 1939. She worked as a dental assistant for Dr. W.J. Oakley until she married Joseph Evin Keeling June 7, 1941. Five children were born in 7 years - all teenagers at one time. Lucille took on another job in the Kroger meat department where she worked for 15 years. When her two sons were called to military service - Joey to Vietnam and Leroy to Korea - Lucille left Kroger and began raising replacement heifers for their Keeling Dairy Farm on Bellwood Road. As the dairy grew, Lucille attended Nazareth College where she audited college accounting classes and, at the age of 70, under the tutelage of Claire Gunning of Blandford-McCubbins Accountants learned to use a computer and accounting software for financial record keeping of the dairy and trucking business which she and husband, Joe, owned and operated.
Lucille was the daughter of Cecil Elbert White and Minnie Merritt Hahn White (who after Cecil’s death married George Brown, owner of Tom Pig). Her siblings are C.W. White (who died as an infant); J.T. White and his wife Juanita; Katherine White Keeling and her husband Cowell (Joe’s brother); Wilbert White and his wife Christine (all deceased); and Joyce White Goff and her husband Johnnie Goff of Chaplin. A family oriented woman, Lucille has compiled and kept records of the Hahn-White families and has been instrumental in the family reunions held each September. Lucille crafted quilts for her 14 grandchildren, her 19 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild as well as many others. Two of those quilts will be presented to Lucille’s sons during her funeral. Known by some as the “Cross Lady”, Lucille has most recently crocheted and shared thousands of small crosses.
Joe (died August 9, 2001) and Lucille’s five children are Barbara “Bobby” Joyce Keeling Bekis, Ed.D. and her husband Andy of Collierville, TN.; Joseph “Joey” Evin Keeling, Jr., and his former spouse and best friend Rita; Alice Patricia “Patsy” Keeling McCray Barker, RN (deceased); Cecil Leroy Keeling and his wife Linda; and Emily Rebecca “Becky” Keeling Curtsinger and her husband Ronnie.
Honorary pallbearers for their grandmother are granddaughters Dawn Keeling Astrom, Regina Bekis Schoep (Jeremy), Saundra Bekis, Julie Keeling Cowley (Josh), Amy Keeling-Walton (Jacob), Lesley Curtsinger Greathouse (M.T.), and Kristen Keeling O’Bryan (Sam). Pallbearers for their grandmother are grandsons Shawn Keeling, Trevor McCray, Eric Keeling (Brandy), Kevin McCray, Scotty Curtsinger (April), and Randy Curtsinger. Grandson Chris Barker is unable to attend.
Funeral services for Mrs. Alma Lucille White Keeling will be 3:00pm, Sunday, November 3, 2019 at The First Cedar Creek Baptist Church with family officiating the service. Burial will be in The First Cedar Creek Baptist Church Cemetery. Visitation will be Saturday from 5:00-8:00 pm at the Houghlin Greenwell Funeral Home and after 1:00pm at the church on Sunday. The family requests that contributions be made to the local Gideons International. Those attending Lucille’s funeral are asked to bring any names she may have crocheted for your families. These will be displayed at the funeral. “To God Be the Glory!”

To send flowers or a remembrance gift to the family of Alma Lucille White Keeling, please visit our Tribute Store.

Previous Events

Cemetery Details