Ardeth Brockman Keathley passed away September 19, 2020. She was born on March 4, 1934, to Lawrence Ervin and Opal Pauline Brockman in Houston, Texas.

The family moved to Bay City, Texas, when Ardeth was seven years old. Ardeth, or Ardie, as she like to be called, loved her family and friends.  She was popular in high school. She was chosen as a Bay City Blackcat cheerleader, and played on the basketball team. She remembered her high school classmates fondly and would often reminisce about those times.

Ardeth was attending freshman classes at Wharton County Junior College when she met Stanley Paul Keathley. He was on a football scholarship there and she was in the WCJC Starlettes. She said it was love at first sight, and they married on Valentine's Day of the following year. After WCJC, Stanley accepted a football scholarship to Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.

After college, Ardeth and Stanley made their home in Bay City where they raised their three girls.

Ardeth worked part-time for her father at his print shop Brock Printing and at his convenience store, Brock's Serve-U. She attended the First Presbyterian Church, where she was an Elder, taught Sunday School, and she and Stanley led the Youth Group for several years. She was chosen Woman of the Year in 2009 by the Presbyterian Women of the Church. She loved to travel, play bridge, golf, and would fish all day at Matagorda if allowed. She was a member of the Junior Service League, Beta Sigma Phi, the Pink Ladies at Matagorda General Hospital, and a Red Cross certified swimming instructor.

Ardeth is predeceased by her parents, her husband, Stanley, and grandson-in-law, Douglas De Vos.

Ardeth is survived by her older brother Lawrence E. Brockman, Jr. and wife, Bernadette Gassen Brockman and their family; daughters, Karen Abshier and husband, Kim; Connie Milliff and husband, Larry; Kay Daugherty and husband, Fred; grandchildren, Amy Abshier Nemeth and husband Chris; Douglas Abshier and wife, Stacy; Kacey Milliff and her husband, Merlin Sanitz; Jessamyn Milliff De Vos; Alan Hodges; and Paul Hodges and wife Ashley; great-grandchildren, Esther and Ian Reyes, Zsofia and Kasper Nemeth, Garrett and Hunter Sanitz, and Emersyn and Blakely Hodges.; beloved friends, Marc and Karin Hill and their family, nieces, nephews, and others too numerous to list.

Special thanks and love to caregivers Vanessa and Ashley.

A Memorial Service will be planned at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation, or a local charity of your choice.