Doris Anna Keim was born on December 30, 1911 on a farm southwest
of Davenport, Nebraska to John and Anna Bower. Doris was the
youngest of four children in her family with three older brothers. She is
of German nationality.
Doris was baptized at Christ's Lutheran Church of Davenport. She
attended District 34, Pleasant Prairie School. She was confirmed in 1927
at Christ's Lutheran. She graduated in 1929 from Davenport High
School, and then attended Midland College for twelve weeks to obtain
her teaching certificate. She taught school for six years at Fletcher,
Happy Hollow and Ranch rural schools.
She married Darrell Keim on August 17, 1935 at 6:30 a.m. at Christ's
Lutheran parsonage in Davenport. Doris and Darrell farmed for a living.
Born to this union were four children, Dorothy, Moyn, Larry and Ardith.
Doris kept very busy on the farm, where she raised poultry and sold
eggs, along with helping her husband and raising their family.
Music has always been very important to Doris. She was the church
pianist and organist for 60 years. As a member of Christ's Lutheran
Church, she was active in Ladies Aide and the Missionary Society and
later the Women of the ELCA. She attended the Community Bible
Study and was a member of the Clever Corner Extension Club.
Activities that Doris has enjoyed included sewing, crocheting afghans
and quilting. She has made quilts for all of her children and
grandchildren. Doris and Darrell enjoyed traveling and took several trips
with the Hubbard Feed Company. Their travels took them to Mexico,
Hawaii and Canada. In 1978, the couple retired and moved into
Davenport, where Doris continued to enjoy her music and hobbies.
Darrell passed away on September 28, 1995. Doris chose to move to
Meadowlark Heights Assisted Living in Deshler on February 12, 2003.
She continued to play the piano while living there, accompanying other
tenants for a weekly "sing-along." On August 15, 2005, she was
admitted to Parkview Haven Nursing Home and passed away there on
September 12, 2005 at the age of 93 years, 8 months and 13 days.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her three
brothers, Oscar, Charlie and Clarence and a great-grandson, Logan
Werner. She is survived by four children including daughters, Dorothy
Krogh and husband John of Ruskin, Ardith Hoins and husband Jerre of
Davenport, and sons, Moyn and wife Marcy of Salina Kansas, and Larry
and wife Marilyn of Davenport. Surviving grandchildren include Debra
(Robert) Folkerts, Julie (Todd) Jensen, Carla (Ray) Werner, Stephanie
Hamel, Kris (Steve) Riley, Angela (Brian) Prendergast, Landon (Diana)
Keim, Tammy (Monte) Trampe, Cindy Hutchinson, Amy (Kevin)
Wenske, Ricky (Natasha) Keim, Jeffry (Janet) Hoins and Justin Hoins.
There are nineteen great-grandchildren and five great-great
grandchildren.
Services were held September 16, 2005 at Christ's Lutheran Church with
Pastor Amy Krejcarek officiating. Interment followed at Davenport City
Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the family's choice.
Urbauer-Price Funeral Home of Davenport was in charge of the
arrangements.