Billie Fern (Gaines) Keefhaver

Billie Fern (Gaines) Keefhaver, 84 , of Edgerton, MO, passed away, Tuesday, August, 28, 2007 at Heartland Regional Medical Center.

She was born on June 12, 1923, in Dearborn, to Arch Reed and Willemma (Stafford) Gaines. Billie was a graduate of Camden Point High School and Platt-Gard Business College in St. Joseph.

On September 18, 1948 she was united in marriage to Joe Melven Keefhaver. After their marriage they lived in Edgerton where they made their home. Her husband Joe passed away on October 16, 2003.

Billie Fern took a great interest in politics. For many years she worked the polls during elections, served as Platte County Republican Committee Woman and was also a candidate for Platte County Public Administrator on the Republican ticket. Billie wrote a weekly column the “Back Porch Philosophy” for the Edgerton Citizen now the Platte County Citizen.

She was a member of the North Platte Elementary Living History and participated in their Readers Theater. Billie was an active member of the Edgerton Christian Church serving as a deacon, secretary and was a Sunday School and Bible School teacher. “Ma” was a homemaker and enjoyed oil painting, volunteering, cooking, babysitting her grandchildren, and listening to her children and grandchildren make music.

Billie Fern was also preceded in death by her parents, a brother, Charles, an infant brother, an infant sister Ruth Margaret and three infant children, Nicholas, Gayle and Dennis.

She is survived by two sons, Joseph “Jody” Keefhaver and wife, Glenna, Louisburg, KS, and Michael Keefhaver; one daughter, Kathleen Willson and husband, Darrell, all of Edgerton; eight grandchildren, William, Ben, Matt, and Sam Keefhaver, Edgerton, Grace and Anne Keefhaver, Louisburg, KS and Brice Willson and wife, Gretchen, Trimble, MO and Crystal Willson, Edgerton, MO; other relatives and many friends.

Funeral Services: 11:00 a.m. Friday, August 31^st at the Edgerton Christian Church

Burial: Ridgely Cemetery, Ridgely, MO.

Visitation: 6:00-8:00 Thursday at the Hixson-Klein Funeral Home, Edgerton

Donations may be made to the Edgerton Christian Church