Betty was magnetic; she had a pull that attracted and drew people together. She was a devoted mother and grandmother, an avid traveler, and community leader. Betty was not the type of grandmother who baked cookies. She took her grandchildren to Japan, Mexico, yoga classes, and Jimmy Buffett concerts instead. Above all, she loved her family and friends and made her home welcoming to everyone.
Betty is survived by her children: Susan Keim, Karen Keim Smoot, Paul Keim (Tami), David Keim (Ronna), and Katie Keim Angelides (Phil). She is also survived by her grandchildren: Paul Rohrer (Jessica), Elyse Rohrer Budiash (David), Sarah Smoot (Ryan), Betsy Smoot, McKenna Keim, Elliot Keim, Carson Keim, Isaac Keim, Cash Keim, Garrett Keim, Grace Angelides, Sophie Angelides, Philip Angelides. She is also survived by great grandchildren: Tommy Rohrer, Ella Rohrer, Emmie Rohrer Budiash, CeCe Rohrer Budiash, and Brooklyn Smoot-Stagg.
Betty is preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Richard “Dick” Keim and her daughter, Sheila Keim.
Betty grew up in California, Pennsylvania where she was a debate star in high school. She studied and worked as a nurse at Allegheny General Hospital where she met Dick Keim, who was doing his oral surgery residency. They started secretly dating, complete with notes and code names for each other. They were married in 1957 and soon moved to Kansas City where she completed her BSN at the University of Kansas.
Betty was very involved in raising her children and volunteering in the community. She was a member of the Village Presbyterian Church and very active in St. Ann’s Parish. Betty was Room Mother, on the PTA board, President of the Mother’s Club at Sion, and more. She was a founding member of Kansas Action for Children. Betty also got involved in medical and dental groups and served as the President of the Auxiliary to the Kansas Dental Association where she was named Woman of the Year in 1986. She was also President of the Junior League of Wyandotte and Johnson Counties in Kansas, and was on the Association of Junior Leagues International Area Council Board.
These leadership opportunities eventually led her to being on the City Council for Mission Hills and she later served for two terms as mayor of Mission Hills, KS. Betty was appointed by Governor Graves to serve on the University of Kansas Hospital Authority Board. Betty served as a member of the Board of Trustees for People to People International. In addition, she received the honor of being Johnson Countian of the Year in 2000. This memorial isn’t big enough to list all of her pioneering leadership achievements.
One of her favorite achievements of all was attending 33 graduations of her children and grandchildren. She was a loving grandmother called “Oba” or “Grandma Betty” who taught her grandchildren important life skills such as how to interview people you have just met, how to drink coffee black, how to dance and sing at the top of your lungs at concerts, how to vacation, how to travel, and how to treat people kindly. Betty taught her family not to be afraid to love and that age is just a number that measures how long you have lived, not how much fun you are allowed to have, and that family comes first.
On August 31st, her family and friends will gather to celebrate her life and memory. There will be a visitation beginning at 9:00am at St. Ann Catholic Church, 7231 Mission Rd, Prairie Village, KS 66208, followed by a funeral mass beginning at 11:00am. The burial at Resurrection Cemetery, 8300 Quivira Rd, Lenexa, KS 66215, will be immediately after the mass.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to KU Endowment in support of the Sheila Marie Keim Memorial Library fund. Send donations to KU Endowment, P.O. Box 928, Lawrence, KS 66044 or give online at https://kuendowment.org/sheilamariekeim