Venita Joyce Keith

Venita Keith, 81, passed away February 28, 2017 in Hill City, Kansas surrounded by her family. She was born to Chester and Dorothea (Hopkins) Chainhalt, December 22, 1935. She grew up knowing Jim Ambrosier as her father and two half-brothers, Gene and Roland Ambrosier as siblings. Venita’s mother passed when she was 12 years old. For the next year, Venita lived with her father Chester and his wife in Denver, Colorado. At the age of 13, Venita moved back to Hill City to live with Jim and her brothers. Venita and Loyd Keith were married, October 4, 1952, in Hill City. In the years to come they were blessed with eight children: Loyce, Steven, Roberta, Robert, Dee Ann, Annette, Kevin and Terri. Our mother loved to be a caregiver. So it was almost inevitable that when the children were in school, Venita went to work in the Graham County Hospital as a Nurse Aide. She worked in the hospital for the next 32 years. When it became necessary to take care of Loyd, she retired and became fulltime caregiver. She loved family and her family was her roots. Venita loved to play games with her children, grandchildren and friends. We spent many evenings outside in the yard under night skies with Mom, Dad, friends and family, telling stories, playing games, hide-n-seek and being a family. Venita was great for watching movies with the family cuddling the kids. We all remember playing in the river, picking sand plums and picnics with Mom, aunts and cousins. She was notorious for scaring us all with loud gasps and “ooh” jumps – we would all yell out “MOM” and giggles with shh’s followed. As children we have fond memories of walking home after school in the snow and being welcomed to the wonderful aroma of hot chocolate, fried homemade bread with butter and jelly. The older kids remember when Dad was teaching mom to drive and oh my… At that time Dad had the patience of a saint. Mom had a lead foot and was known to miss turns due to daydreaming and talking to herself. Mom loved her friends, shopping, birthdays, holidays and celebrations with friends. Her passions were embroidering, knitting and sewing as time permitted. Venita loved to garden, grow flowers, and take walks while picking up pretty rocks. She was preceded in death by: her parents; her husband Loyd; two sons: Robert and Kevin; two brothers: Gene and Roland Ambrosier. She is survived by her daughters: Loyce Schamberger and husband Earl, Morland, Roberta Favinger and husband Terry, Sylvan Grove, Dee Ann Keith, Great Bend, Annette Miller and husband Ken, Castle Pines, Colorado, Terri Keith, Parker, Colorado; her son, Steven Keith, Vicksburg, Michigan. Mom was fun and ornery. We had fun teasing one another all the way up to the end of her life. Venita was loved dearly and had a heart of gold. She will be missed.