Obituaries

Audrey May Keebler

January 21, 1923 - March 19, 2023

Audrey May Keebler, 100, of Lakeland, Florida passed away on March 19th, 2023.  Born January 21, 1923 to Clinton and Gertrude May of Coronet and Plant City, FL.  She grew up in Coronet with typical youth activities, swimming, tennis, baseball, and school and dances in Plant City.  Graduating from Plant City High School and Tampa Business College, she was employed at the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Distribution Center in Tampa.  There, in accounting, she met the love of her life, Hamilton, and married in 1941.  In 1942 Hamilton went into the US Army and overseas, and later that year Audrey gave birth to a son, Kenneth.  Following the end of war in 1945, Hamilton returned to Tampa where he resumed his employment with Pittsburgh Paint and Glass, first in Tampa and then in 1947, he took a PPG position as the central Florida paint sales representative and they moved to Lakeland.  In 1950, a second son, Van, was born.  In 1963, she went back to work and was employed by Ed Tarver, State Farm Insurance, where she stayed until her retirement in 1988.  Her very special “Ham” passed away in 197l and she and Van purchased several rental homes after Van sold his Dixieland Paint and Hardware store.  After retirement Audrey was a volunteer Docent at the Polk Museum of Art. While working and with Van after her retirement, Audrey enjoyed travelling all over North America, Hawaii, Alaska and Canada as well as Docent travel in Florida, the US and Mexico until she retired from her Docent service in 2004.  Audrey was Presbyterian, enjoyed reading, scenic vacations, gardening, art, museums and her many friends and customers from her many years in insurance, the hardware store, the museum and neighbors.  She was preceded in death by her dear Ham, her sisters Peggy May, Mary Robinson, and Jane Stansell.  She is survived her sister Charlotte Walden. Son Van resides in Lakeland.  Son Ken resides with wife Lynn in Valrico, along with grandsons Kent (Diane), Kip (Kim), and granddaughter Kristen (Valrico).  She has five grandchildren, Austin, Brielle, Kassidy, Ella and Rhone. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the charity of your choice.  She was fond of a quote from Reverend Peter Marshall, “The service we give is the rent we pay while here on earth.”

There will be a gathering of friends between 2 and 4 PM at Audrey and Van’s home, 315 Glendale Street, Lakeland, on April 2nd, 2023.