Helen Keating, 91
Helen Irene Keating, 91, of Witt died at 8:20 p.m. on Tuesday, July 17, 2012, at Hillsboro Area Hospital.
Visitation will be from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Friday, July 20, at St. Louis Catholic Church in Nokomis. Prayers and the Rosary will be said at 4:30 p.m. at the church. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 21, at the church.
Stiehl-Dawson Funeral Home in Nokomis is in charge of arrangements.
Mrs. Keating was born on Jan. 13, 1921, the daughter of the late Joseph and Nora (McKinney) Cocagne. She married Floyd Keating at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Assumption on Nov. 18, 1939, and he preceded her in death on June 17, 2009.
She and her husband started their life on a farm in Assumption. In 1951, they purchased a farm southwest of Nokomis where they raised their ten children.
Mrs. Keating was very active in the St. Louis Catholic Church and Council of Catholic Women. She was Fraternal Woman of the Year for the National Catholic Society of Foresters. She was a member of the Parents Club from 1951-1974.
For six years, she worked at Sheepskin in Nokomis and later was a sales rep for MerriMac Toys, where she was top sales person one year.
Mrs. Keating was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She was dedicated to her faith.
She is survived by her ten children, Judy (husband Rich) Kellenberger of Lakewood, CO, James (wife Sue) Keating of Helena, AL, Mary Jo (husband Lee) Cerny of Hillsboro, Donna Jean (husband Jim) Nicolotti of Tulsa, OK, Janet (husband Lloyd) Kuhn of Springfield, Joyce (husband Roy) Taylor of Nokomis, Carol (husband Roger) Johnson of Raymond, Nancy (husband Dean) Croxton of Springfield, Betty Watson of Washington and John (wife Deanne) Keating of Quincy; brother, Darrel (wife Annabelle) Cocagne of Taylorville; sister-in-law, Patricia Keating of Decatur; and over 90 grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
In addition to her parents and husband, Mrs. Keating was preceded in death by one brother, Buddy at age 3, and two great-grandchildren.
Memorials may be directed to the St. Louis Catholic Church Endowment Fund in Nokomis or the St. Louis School General Fund.