Peggy Ann Keyes

Peggy Ann Keyes died peacefully at Hospice Ministries in Ridgeland on Sept. 2, 2021. She was 87 years old.

She was born in Laurel on May 26, 1934, the youngest of five children born to Robert Howard Keyes Sr. and Mary Louise Lamey Keyes. She grew up on the family farm and remained close with her siblings, all of whom preceded her in passing – Yvonne (Sissy) Cheeks, Robert (Buddy) Howard Keyes Jr., Alliene Ross and Evelyn Keyes.

Toward the end of her life, she spoke often to her mother and sisters who had already died. We pray they are reunited in heaven now.

Peggy lived with her sister Evelyn for most of their lives and was devastated when Evelyn passed away on Jan. 3, 2020. They were both residents of Brandon.

Peggy graduated from Sandersville High School and in the early 1950s graduated from the now-shuttered Clarke College in Newton, Miss., a Baptist school.

Starting in 1954, Peggy worked for Sears, Roebuck & Co. in the credit department. After retiring from that job, she worked as collector for Mississippi Sports Medicine, TransUnion and student loans. In 1998, she retired “for good.”

Peggy and Evelyn were members of Oak Forest Baptist Church, where they taught Sunday School, and later the Brandon Baptist Church where they continued to teach children and they sang in the church choir.

Peggy loved flowers and crafts like ceramics and painting. She was also an avid collector of angel figurines and salt and pepper shakers.

She is survived by her nieces Pamela Cheeks of Pascagoula and Mona (Ramona Ross) Prufer and Kyle Prufer, both of Myrtle Beach, S.C.; great-niece Laurel Johnson of Pascagoula; great-nephews Jamey and Greg Trotter and their wives Kelsey and Kerry, and her four great-great nieces and one great-great nephew.

In lieu of flowers, please honor Peggy’s memory by making a donation to help support the children’s programs at Brandon Baptist Church.

Visitation will be Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. at Ott & Lee Funeral Home in Brandon, with services in the chapel at 1 p.m. She’ll be buried at 3 p.m. in Hickory Grove Cemetery in Laurel next to her beloved sister Evelyn and their parents.

Visitation: 11:30am - 12:45pm Tuesday, September 7, 2021, at Ott & Lee Funeral Home
Service: 1pm Tuesday, in the chapel of the funeral home
Graveside: 3pm Tuesday, at Hickory Grove Cemetery in Laurel, MS