Dorothy Keagle

Dorothy “Dottie” M. Keagle, 88 years young of Lakeland, FL slipped away quietly from this world on Sunday, January 15, 2023, and into the arms of Jesus, after a brief illness.

Born on January 18, 1934, in Slidell, Louisiana, to Haley and Mary (Waldridge) Faciane with six brothers and sisters whom she adored.

Dottie married Gerald Keagle on June 1, 1952.  She took her role as wife and mother seriously and raised four beautifully unique girls who she “loved with all her heart”.

Dottie attended KCC and worked at Lakeview General Hospital taking care of patients and their families.  She had great sense of humor, loved sewing, quilting, and was an amazing cook.  You’d often find her cooking her famous “sghetti” (which her family loved when they visited).  Dottie also took great pride in maintaining and decorating her home and enjoyed planting flowers and growing vegetables.  Her most cherished pets were her two cats, Sam and Bosco who were always by her side.

Dottie was an amazing mother, wife, and friend. She will be missed by everyone who knew and loved her.

She leaves behind her daughters, Deb (Greg) Erickson of Lakeland, FL; Karen Kuys of Cadillac, MI; Sandra (Derryle) Daniel of Lakeland, FL; and Kerrie (Ben) Messenger of Battle Creek, MI; her grandchildren, Lindsay (Nick), Ashley (Randy), Shaun, Alex (Tarin), Charles, Haley, and Michael; great-grandchildren, Noah, Summer, Addison, and Gwendolyn and many extended family members.  She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings, husband Gerald Keagle, son-in-law Terry Vallance, and grandson Benjamin Messenger III.

A celebration of life will be held on May 13, 2023, in Battle Creek, MI.

Donations may be given to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, TN.