Woodward County Obituary
Elmwood Cemetery

© Billings Funeral Home
WOODWARD, WOODWARD CO, OK
(permission granted)
Submitted by: Jo Aguirre

Joanne Lee Keith

July 6, 1934 ~ December 12, 2019

Joanne Keith, 85 year old former Woodward resident, passed away Thursday, December 12, 2019 in Edmond. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Thursday, December 19, 2019 at the St. John Episcopal Church with Reverend Mary Davis officiating. Burial will follow in the Elmwood Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of the Billings Funeral Home.

Joanne Lee (Norman) Keith was born on July 4, 1934 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Robert Lee and Kate Richard OHara (Cook) Norman. Joanne grew up in Oklahoma City and Guthrie and graduated from Mount St Mary Catholic High School in 1952. She attended the St. Anthonys Hospital School of Nursing. Joanne married the love of her life Howard Barton Keith on March 12, 1954 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. They were blessed with 63 years of marriage. They made their home in Oklahoma City before moving to Shattuck in 1963 and Woodward in 1988. They later moved to Edmond in 2016.

She was an active member of the St. John Episcopal Church during the years she resided in Shattuck and Woodward. Joanne was Co-Editor of A Pioneer History of Shattuck which was published in 1970. She traced the familys genealogy on her side (with assistance of the Cherokee Heritage Center) back to 1720 with the genealogical data placed in the archives of the Cherokee National Historical Society. She obtained membership in the First Families of the Cherokee Nation. Joanne was one of 12 Cherokee citizens that participated in the Cherokee Beadwork Revival Project in 2007 to revive traditional Cherokee beadwork made before the Trail of Tears. The members work on that project continues to be rotated through various museums today. Joanne was a true fiber artist with her work winning many awards at various shows throughout the country. As Joanne mastered one fiber medium, she moved to another- so that the scale of her work included quilts, porcelain dolls, weaving, teddy bears and all mediums of needlework. She served on the Board of Directors at the Plains Indian and Pioneer Museum, she served as President of the Friendship Quilters Guild of Woodward, and was a member of the Philanthropic Educational Organization.

She is survived by her sons: Preston Keith and wife Judy of Edmond, Shaun Keith and wife Karla Kim of Norman, Spencer Keith and wife Dawn of Lawrence, Kansas; one daughter, Kim Glazier of Edmond; grandchildren: Mindy Henry and husband Jackie of McKinney, Texas, Kristina Root and husband Brian of Noble, Courtney Ruark and husband Grant Thompson of Chevy Chase, Maryland, Seth and Krista Lee Wanger of Ashburn, Virginia, Jaclyn Keith of Stillwater, Zac Keith of Norman, Stephanie Quigley and husband Eric of Edmond, Cierra Keith of Fort Peck, Montana, Blake Merrifield of Winterset, Iowa, Chloe Keith of Oklahoma City, Madison Keith of Lawrence, Kansas, Macy Keith of Lawrence, Kansas; great-grandchildren: Brayden, Brooklyn, Savannah, Dorian, Morgan, Quinn, Kaitlin, Lauren, Alicen, Alisha, John Oxley, Anne Larken, Declan, Maddox, and Sutton; great-great-grandchildren: Ava, Addison, Daisy, Brock and Elspeth; other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved husband Howard Barton Keith on May 13, 2017.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Cherokee Nation Foundation of Tahlequah, the Plains Indian and Pioneer Museum, or to W.O.O.F. Pet Rescue of Woodward with the funeral home accepting the contributions.19