Wilma 'Jean' Keep

Wilma 'Jean' Keep, 88, longtime Ogallala resident, passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 7, 2014, in Golden Ours Convalescent Home in Grant. Jean was born July 3, 1926 north of Pleasanton, NE. Her parents were Delbert and Lora Simmerman and she was the oldest of six children. During her pre-teen years, the family lived north of Proctor, CO, later near Sterling, CO, and eventually settled on a farm outside of Elm Creek, NE. Jean graduated from Elm Creek High School at age 16 in 1942 and following a year of teaching at a country school north of Kearney, she went to live in town with an aunt who introduced her to the field of communication. During the summer of 1944, Jean was accepted into radio school in Omaha where she received further training. Jean had met William 'Bill' Keep in high school. Bill had joined the Navy after graduation and they were married in February of 1945. When WWII was over, the couple spent a short time in Sidney, NE, then lived in Kearney, Albion, and finally moved to Ogallala in 1958. Besides being a homemaker and mother to five children, Jean was employed at KOGA radio station for 14 years, ESU 16 for three years, and sold Avon products for several years. Her love for volunteering was made evident in her service to many community organizations including the Women's Chamber of Commerce, RSVP, the American Red Cross, the Ogallala Ambulance Squad, Civil Air Patrol (Kearney branch), and was a driver for the Ogallala Handibus. Jean was responsible for starting the Brothers Keeper program during her time as a member of the First United Methodist Church. Jean was a member of the Nebraska Literary Guild, Keith County Historical Society, and the Ogallala Regional Arts Council. Her hobbies included reading, writing and working in her flower gardens. Preceding her in death was her husband Bill, one son Bruce, a son-in-law Dean Schow, her parents, a sister and brother-in-law Wanda and Dean Cruise, a brother-in-law Don Refior, a sister-in-law Phyllis Simmerman, and a granddaughter Matti Knox-Keep. Survivors include a daughter Leah Schow of Paxton, a son Rex (Carolyn) Keep of Edwards, CO, a daughter Mikki (Mark) Lautenschlager of Longmont, CO, a daughter Lisa (Tad) Gray of Valley City, OH; three brothers: Wayne Simmerman and Harlan (Kay) Simmerman, all of Elm Creek; and Dick (Myrtle) Simmerman of Overton; and a sister Ardis Refior of Elm Creek. Also grandchildren: Kyle (Cheryl) Schow, Kevin (Kim) Schow, Korey (Roxy) Schow, Chase Keep, Taylor Keep, Megan Lautenschlager, Ginna Goodenow, Spenser Gray, Caitlin and Cortney Gray, Hunter Gray and Jalin Brock and ten great-grandchildren: Bailee and Ben Schow; Karlee, Kaden and Keegan Schow; August and Ruby Schow; Emma and Pierce Goodenow; and Finnley Jane Gray. A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, June 6, at 10:30 a.m. in the Ogallala First United Methodist Church with Rev. Chuck Rager officiating. The Service was live-streamed and may now be see by clicking here. A memorial has been established in her memory. To view a video tribute may be seen by clicking the link below. Jean Keep Obituary Click to download / open

Service Information

Click to download / open- https://d1rjyex4ui0ya6.cloudfront.net/obituaries/media/2900/14137-12140515JeanKeep2.pdf