Bertha Whitley Keister

Bertha Whitley Keister, 94, of Fort Myers, Fla., formerly of Poplar Bluff died Monday, Feb. 8, 2010 at Belleville Memorial Hospital in Belleville, Ill.

Mrs. Keister was born Sept. 14, 1915 in Poplar Bluff. She was of the Baptist faith, and was a homemaker. During her earlier years she worked as a nurse's assistant at Lucy Lee Hospital and later at Sacred Heart Catholic School cafeteria in Poplar Bluff. Mrs. Keister enjoyed flower and vegetable gardening, music and dancing.

On March 30, 1933 she was married to Bill Whitley. He preceded her in death in April 1973. On July 6, 1980 she was married to Walter Keister. He preceded her in death in 1990.

Survivors include three children: Glenda Whitley-Savat of Ft. Myers, Fla., Allan Whitley and wife Edna of Richmond, Va. and Grover ""Mike"" Whitley and wife Beverly of Salem; grandchildren: Jennifer Mollett and husband Brian, Angie Whitley and husband Michael Ritt, Sheri Terry, Tonya Anderson and husband Bobby, Kenneth Whitley, Michael Whitley and wife Denise, Dean Whitley and wife Kimberly, David Whitley and wife Debbie, Debbie Whitley, and Cheyenne Taylor and wife Stormy; great-grandchildren: Madison Mollett, Melody Mollett, Zoe Savat and Joshua Lane Savat and their mother, Breann Savat, Whitley Rae Barron, Thomas Dobrick, Todd Fisher, Justin Anderson, Gregory Anderson, Casey Anderson, Savannah Whitley, Elise Whitley, Brittany Whitley, Sarah Whitley, Amy Whitley, Stephanie Whitley, Calahan Taylor and Maddie Taylor; one great-great-granddaughter; four brothers: Jessie Hornbeck and wife Mary and Donnie Hornbeck and wife Betty all of Poplar Bluff, Everett Hornbeck and wife Lea of Cabot, Ark. and Ralph Hornbeck of St. Louis; and a sister-in-law, Carol Hornbeck of Poplar Bluff.

Her parents, Ransom and Myrtle R. (Radford) Hornbeck, son, Bennie Whitley and wife, Rose, grandson, Joshua Savat, sister, Lula Belle Moore and brother, Carl Hornbeck also preceded Mrs. Keister in death.

Visitation will be from 5 - 7 p.m. Sunday at Cotrell Funeral Chapel in Poplar Bluff. The funeral service will begin at 1:30 p.m. Monday in the Chapel with the Rev. Everett Gunter officiating. Burial will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the City Cemetery in Poplar Bluff.