Elaine Keyes

Waynesville/Miami Lakes, Elaine Ruth Lebsock Keyes, age 98, passed away on Thursday, July 21, 2022, at Haywood Regional Medical Center.

A native of Lincoln, Nebraska, she was the daughter of the late Jacob and Lydia Amen Lebsock.  In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Edward A. Keyes, who died in 1989.  Elaine was a graduate of the University of Nebraska and received her master’s degree from the University of Miami.  She was a lifelong elementary school teacher.  Most recently, she was a member of St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church.  Elaine enjoyed reading, music, theater and traveling.  Most of all she loved her family.

Elaine is survived by her daughter, Nancy DeGraff (Richard); son, Edward Keyes; four grandchildren, Holly Castater (Noal), Robert DeGraff (Elizabeth), Edward Keyes (Elizabeth) and Gregory Keyes; seven great-grandchildren, Emma Grace DeGraff, Jack Castater, Grayson DeGraff, Katie Castater, Lucy DeGraff, Finley DeGraff and Sutton DeGraff.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 28, 2022, at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church with Father Paul McNulty officiating.  An inurnment will be held at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN  38105.

The care of Mrs. Keyes has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Home of Waynesville.