Obituary of Edith Keenum

Edith Dove Seiber was born on February 12, 1916 in Lewis County Tennessee. She was one of ten children, five boys and five girls. The family came to Texas in 1925 in a covered wagon and stopped in Keller, TX, then moved to Hill County and she went to school in Blum, TX. She married Austin James Keenum on July 27, 1933 and they moved to Waco, TX, where they both worked at the Bluebonnet Bomb plant during WWII. Edith helped place the dynamite in the 500 and 1000 pound bombs. When the family moved to West Texas, she became a farmers wife until she went to the Littlefield Nursing School in Littlefield, TX and became an LVN. In 1959 they moved to Hale Center, TX where she worked at the Hale Center Hospital until her failing eyesight caused her to retire. She had been going blind since she was in her 40s. She began crocheting and making little tooth pillows for her family and friends. She also was known far and wide for her habit of giving peppermint candy to anyone and everyone who came close to her. Edith loved Country music and the gospel sermons by Carl Jones of the Burleson Church of Christ that her niece, Janie Jones, sent to her weekly. She would record the music and sermons using a CD player and a cassette recorder by her chair. She spent many hours recording tapes that she gave to family and friends. She wore out at least eight recorders and four CD players. She was a longtime member of the Hale Center Church of Christ and for the last year and a half, she attended the Spearman Church of Christ. She loved to hear the songs sung by all her friends. She loved people and always wanted a hug when she met them. Austin passed away on January 9, 1983 and an adopted daughter Patsy Graca in 2003. She is survived by three children, a daughter, Mary Mayfield of Spearman, TX, two sons, Tommie Keenum and wife Betty of Abilene TX, Alan Keenum and wife Linda of Dallas, TX, one brother, Woodford Seiber of Hohenwald, Tennessee, nine grand children, nine great grand children, four great-great grand children and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Due to her failing health, she was moved to the Hansford County Nursing Home in Spearman on July 7, 2010. Her health kept going downhill and after a bout of pneumonia several weeks ago, she never seemed to recover. She passed away at around 5:15 AM on Thanksgiving Day, November, 24, 2011. She loved the Lord with all her heart so we know that she is in a better place and is at peace. The family requests that you make a donation to your favorite charity or to the Lubbock Children's Home in her name. Abell Funeral Home