Dorothy Louise McKeever Yelton's Obituary
Dorothy Louise McKeever Yelton passed away peacefully on April 17, 2025, at 100 years, nine months and two days old. She counted every day that God gave her on earth and believed in making the most of each one. More than anything, she loved her family and sharing the stories of her life, the wisdom she gained and her sharp wit with everyone she met.
Dorothy was born on July 15, 1924, in Virgil, Kansas, to Francis Earl McKeever and Florence Mariah Owen McKeever. She started school in 1930 in Broken Arrow, OK at the beginning of the Great Depression, but most of her childhood was spent in the oil fields of Osage County, Oklahoma. Always a high achiever, in high school, she was the newspaper editor, class secretary, one of the top students, played saxophone in the band and was a chicken judge with Future Farmers of America.
In May 1942, Yelton graduated from Webb City High School just a few months after Pearl Harbor, and enrolled at Oklahoma A&M University, now Oklahoma State University. She dropped out after one semester due to the war and took a job at Tinker Air Force Base where she served as the base commander's secretary managing correspondence and was included in top-secret briefings.
She met her husband, Winston "Bud" or "Buddy" Leroy Yelton in the third grade when she put him in his place after he picked on her little brother. They were married on Sept. 25, 1943, in Oklahoma City.
She held various jobs throughout her life, but she is proudest of being a wife, mother and grandmother to her family. She cherished her role as adopted grandmother to many of the friends of her grandkids and her favorite caregivers at Garden Estates Assisted Living, Brookdale Assisted Living and Hospice of East Texas.
She spent the past few years of her life zipping around on her scooter to play Bingo or Blackjack, texting on her phone and updating her Facebook page to stay connected to family and friends. Her advice to others to live a long and full life is to learn something new every day, never say “can’t”, be honest and don’t put off to tomorrow what you can do today.
She is survived by her daughter Nancy, adopted granddaughters Kim and Michelle, and grandchildren, Bill, Krista and Bob. She has seven great-grandchildren and six great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, Floyd, her brother, her husband, and daughters Jeanne and Susan.
Visitation will take place on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, from 6-8pm, at Rader Funeral Home in Longview. Family and friends will come together to honor her life on May 7, 2025, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Longview. A Rosary will take place at 10:30 am with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am.
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