Imogene Lavern Keith

Imogene Lavern (Mandrell) Keith was born September 30, 1932 to Hubert M. and Annie Mae (Freeman) Mandrell, on the family farm north of Mountain View, Oklahoma in Washita County, the third child of five children.  She passed away on Wednesday, June 22, 2016 at her home in Chickasha, Oklahoma at the age of 83.

She attended Hopewell, Oak Dale and Mountain View schools.  She participated in F.H.A and Glee Club.  She was a member of the Order of Rainbow for Girls.

Imogene married J.D. Allen on June 23, 1949 in Mangum, Oklahoma and to this union was blessed with two daughters, Jo Ella and Jo Ann.  She later married R.D. Perdue, he preceded her in death in 1975.  She married Raymond W. Keith on January 15, 1979.  He preceded her in death in 1998.

She worked as a cashier, consultant in homebuilding, briefly for the Baptist Convention of Oklahoma and 25 years as a realtor associate.  She attended the University of Texas at Austin and the Oklahoma Real Estate Institute in Oklahoma City and Blackwood Business College OKC, becoming a realtor in 1977.  In 1980, she joined American Real Estate Better Homes and Gardens as a realtor associate and worked there until her retirement in 2002.  She was also a member of American Businesswomen's Association, serving as secretary for two years.  After retirement from real estate, she became a writer, compiling, publishing and copywriting three cookbooks.  She also wrote her lifetime memoirs.

Imogene loved her family and loved gardening, antique collecting, Blue Grass and Country Gospel music.  She treasured her darling daughter, Jo Ella and son-in-law, Roy Walker, her four granddaughters, Theresa Jo, Pamela Ann, Sabrina Gail and Deanna Rose Walker.

She spent a lot of time with her great grandchildren and wrote stories of the cute things they said and done.

She was saved at an early age and was a member of Maranatha Baptist Church.

She is preceded in death by her husbands, parents, two brothers, Kenneth Mandrell and Leroy Mandrell; two sisters, Wanda June Mandrell and Martha Ann (Mandrell) Evans and an infant daughter, Faith Jo Ann Allen and great grandson, Justin Ervin.

Imogene is survived by her daughter, Jo Ella Walker and her husband, Roy;

4 granddaughters:  Theresa Karns and her husband, Kyle;

Pamela Prather and her husband, Richard;

Sabrina Dunn and her husband, Jeremy;

Deanna Berry and her husband, Jeremy;

10 great grandchildren:  Scott and Jordan Ervin, Kayli Karns, Zachary Ervin, Jace Karns, Abbigail Dunn, Abrianna Dunn, Beau Dunn, Gemma Berry, Jake Berry and Jep Berry;

1 great-great grandchild, Cooper Ray Ervin.