Dortha Keenan passed away on November 22, 2023, at Overland Park, KS. She was born on January 11, 1935, to Clyde Willis and Lela (Williamson) Willis in Ada, OK.
As a young child, she and her family moved to Salem, IL, where she enjoyed her time and had many good memories. In 1945, the family moved to Great Bend, KS, where she remembered the celebration of World War II on Main Street with confetti, singing, and dancing.
She graduated from Great Bend High School and attended Hutchinson Junior College. In 1956, she married Patrick Keenan at St. Rose Catholic Church in Great Bend. She was a housewife and mother until 1969 when she received her Kansas real estate license.
A Passion for Real Estate and Community
Dortha often said that being in real estate was a good fit for her because she enjoyed helping friends and relatives, as well as meeting new people and showcasing interesting homes. She was proud to be among the first Realtors in Great Bend to earn the Certified Real Estate Specialist (CRS) and Certified Real Estate Broker (CRB) designations and was a graduate of the Realtor Institute (GRI). She was a member of the Kansas Real Estate Honor Society, named 1982 Realtor of the Year, and was the first female President of the Great Bend Board of Realtors in 1982, and again in 1992 and 1993.
Besides her real estate career, Dortha was also active in her community. She served as president of the St. Rose Altar Society, was a member of the Great Bend Pilot Club, and was involved in the ACTS ministry at Prince of Peace Parish.
Dortha was proud to live in Great Bend and promoted it in any way she could. She became an early member of the Chamber of Commerce, lasting 38 years. She chaired the Chamber’s Beautification Committee for nine years, with the initial project lining Broadway’s islands with decorative bricks and flower planters.
Family Always Came First
Though her real estate career and civic involvement brought her fulfillment, it was her family who always came first. Family dinner was always the high point of the day.
Survivors include her four children, Kelly and wife Sharon Beemer of Houston, Carrie Keenan Nash and husband Todd of Boulder, Cade and wife Sara of Kansas City, Chris of Minneapolis, and eight grandchildren: Connor Nash, Parker Nash and wife Veronica, Audrey Keenan, Samuel Keenan, Annie Keenan, Katherine Keenan, Emma Keenan, and Madeline Keenan.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Patrick Keenan.
Services and Memorial Information
Visitation will be Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. at Bryant Funeral Home, Great Bend, with family receiving friends from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 a.m., Friday, Dec. 1, at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Great Bend, with Father Aneesh Parappanattu, Father Warren Stoecklein, and Father Don Bedore concelebrating. Interment will follow at Great Bend Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to Holy Family School, Great Bend, and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, both in care of the Bryant Funeral Home.
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Orginal article: Link To Article – provided by Kansas City Realtors
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