Funeral services for Betty Thomas Keel, 91, Vinemont, will be 2 p.m. Sunday November 16th at Hanceville Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow the service at Ebenezer Cemetery. Visitation will be prior to the service from 12 p.m. until 2 p.m. at Hanceville Funeral Home.
Ms. Keel was born January 23, 1934, in Center Hill, Florida to the late Efrom & Minnie Lee Thomas. She entered heaven’s gates November 11, 2025, from her home in Vinemont, Alabama.
Betty was a devoted mother and grandmother who always put her children and grandchildren first. Her love for her family was the cornerstone of her life, and she took great pride in each of them.
Betty accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior as a young girl under the godly influence of her parents and grandparents. As a faithful Christian, she was a longtime member of First Baptist Church of Cullman and was also a special guest at Sandy Plains Baptist Church in Marietta, Georgia, where she cherished the fellowship and friendships she made.
Betty had a competitive spirit that shone through in all she did, whether in games, work, or life itself. She was the domino champion who could rarely be beaten by anyone in her family. She was known for her determination, her intuitiveness, her strength, her laughter and her warm heart. She also had a deep love for lighthouses, finding peace and inspiration in their steadfast light. Some of her happiest memories were made at Daytona Beach and Sanibel Island, Florida, places she truly loved and often visited.
Those who knew Betty will remember her as a woman of faith, family, and fierce devotion — someone whose love and light will continue to shine brightly in the hearts of those she leaves behind.
Ms. Keel is survived by her children, Beverly Charlene Keel, Hollis Cecil Keel Jr. (Milli), Susan Belinda Keel Byrd, Vanessa Elaine Keel Biggers (Billy); 8 grandchildren, 6 great grandchildren, 1 great-great grandchild; siblings, Mickson Thomas, Kathleen Thomas (Ross Johnson), Roland Thomas (Patricia); and a host of nieces and nephews.
In addition to her parents, Ms. Keel was preceded in death by her siblings, James L. Thomas, Etta Thomas McDaniel, Juanita Thomas Woods, Frank Thomas, Mack Don Thomas, Howard Thomas; her former husband, Hollis Cecil Keel M.D., and former son-in-law, Steven J. Byrd Sr.
Serving as pallbearers will be John Keel, Jeffrey Byrd, Kacee Hagemore, Joshua Keel, Eli Keel, and Daniel Champion.
The family would like to thank New Beacon Hospice; Amedisys Hospice in Kennesaw, Georgia; Right at Home in Woodstock, Georgia; Pink Hearts Home Care Services in Dallas, Georgia; Diversicare in Arab, Alabama; Hanceville Nursing Home & Rehab Center; Cullman Regional Medical Center; and Doctors M. Machen, B. Gomez, and R. Teague.
