Norma Karleen (Watkins) Keltner

Describing Norma in a few paragraphs is an impossibility. She was a person who was more vibrant, more lively, more passionate than printed words bring forth. She was born in Chariton County, Missouri on September 13, 1935, and spent her formative years in Brunswick, Missouri, on the family "Hill Farm" before moving, during wartime, to Texas when her father, Norman Watkins, was enlisted in service. The years in Texas were harsh; the small family of three---Norman, Viola, and Norma---lived in one room, cooked off a hot plate, and counted the days until the end of World War 11 when the family could return to their much loved Chariton County. Upon return, a Victorian house was purchased in town, and that became, for over fifty years, "The family home." Here, Norma attended High School, where she was in the band, drama club, and developed a life-long love of reading in the literature club. During her high school years, she also discovered the one freedom that never left her---the thrill of driving fast! Later, as a young woman, she bought herself a Porsche 356 and began racing in autocross and time trials, an endeavor that won her many trophies.

Norma worked for a time at Don Stein Buick in the Kansas City area, and then upon her marriage, to Dr. Raymond Keltner, and after the purchase of their first home in Leawood, Kansas, she became the mother to two girls, Sara and Katie. She began a stylish life of country clubs, horse shows, tennis matches, cooking, and travel. She and her husband belonged to The Saddle and Sirloin Club, Leawood Country Club, Woodside Racquet Club, and later joined The Mid-America Saddlebred Club where Norma helped with catering at the many horse shows held at Longview Horse Park. Norma raised a few ribbon winning foals and was a member of the American Saddlebred Registry, the Missouri Futurity, and the Missouri Horse Shows Association. Norma owned the show horse, Agent Nine, who won many Three-Gaited Championships and whom she personally picked out on a horse shopping trip to Kentucky, claiming that the sight of him, "made her heart stop." She helped her daughter purchase a show horse named Major League with funds invested from her time in a ladies investment club; she found the name of this horse special; at the same time of this purchase, she and her husband produced and marketed a baseball board game named Brett Ball. Norma and her husband kept season tickets with both the Royals and Chiefs, and were known to take many road trips, dressed in purple, to Ahearn Field House in Manhattan, Kansas to cheer on the basketball team of the Kansas State Wildcats.

Norma had a green thumb and entertained friends with the viewing of her lovely perennial garden that was complete with whimsical sculptures in the backyard of her Harrisonville cottage. She collected antiques and curated an enviable home library filled with classic and current novels. She read nightly and enjoyed a good mystery on TV. She was thrilled with the adventure of travel, taking small trips to every corner of the United States---from the west coast of California to the eastern hills of Highland Falls, New York, where she visited her grandson, Patrick Bowen, when he was a cadet at West Point (a proud and special memory in her lifetime). She regaled in international travel, too, her favorite trip abroad being a vacation to the Cotswolds with her late husband, Raymond. Every now and then, she allowed herself a splurge with a purchase from her favorite store, Neiman Marcus. For years, she worked as an elections judge in her adopted hometown of Harrisonville, and too, donated years of time at the Cass Regional Medical Center. But her favorite activity in her later years was indulging in her grandchildren, Cooper Williams, Brooke, Patrick, and Sophie Bowen, Hudson and Griffin Ellis. Her great grandchildren brought entertainment, too---watching the antics of Ruby, Mimi, and ZJ Hargraves produced much joy. Last winter she met Sloan Williams, her latest great grandchild, and that was the most special Christmas gift.

Norma's was a life to celebrate. She was given a foundation of love and gratitude from those who proceeded her in death--her parents, cousins, aunts and uncles, both husbands, Don Lamb and Dr. Raymond Keltner, and a multitude of family friends. In turn, she has given that same foundation to the friends and relatives who survive her; may we all go forward in our lives with the best of Norma---her graciousness, fun, kindness, elegance, curiosity and delight in the wonders of this world, both large and small.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Cass Regional Foundation Board in Harrisonville, Missouri. Donations can be mailed to Dickey Funeral Home, P.O. Box 432, Harrisonville, Missouri 64701.