Barbara Ruth Demree Keil, 86, passed away Oct. 3, 2024
In Loving Memory of Barbara Ruth Demree Keil (née Stewart)
January 17, 1938—October 3, 2024
Barbara Ruth Demree Keil, a vibrant soul who touched the lives of many, passed away peacefully on October 3, 2024, at the age of 86. Born in Monmouth County, New Jersey, Barbara was a woman of boundless energy and a zest for life.
After graduating from Saint Rose High School in Belmar, New Jersey, Barbara married David Demree and welcomed three children: David F. II, John, and Kellie. She remarried Harry Keil later in life. Barbara was a beloved mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend, known for her unwavering love and support.
With a passion for adventure, Barbara pursued various interests throughout her life. She raced in powder puff derbies as a young woman, rode horses, had her pilot’s license, and bowled. Barbara’s work life was as diverse as her interests, from being a line worker for Bell Telephone to being an independent businesswoman (whether catering or making hand-sewn monkeys), to a school bus driver, and a home healthcare provider. Her dedication to her community was evident in her thirteen years of service as a postal worker in the Highland Lakes area, where she was fondly remembered for her Red Jeep. But her greatest love was sharing her zest for adventure with her children and grandchildren.
Barbara was predeceased by her parents, John and Ruth Stewart; her first husband, David Demree; and her second husband, Harry Keil.
She is survived by her sister Nancy and Nancy’s husband Edward; her son David F. Demree II; her son John and his wife Kristin Demree; her daughter Kellie and her husband Edward Stefan; her grandchildren Kassie and her husband Casey Dilworth, Chelsie and her husband Riley Porter, Natalie Stefan, Edward II Stefan, Jacob Demree, Ruth Demree and her fiancé Tieran, Caleb Demree and his fiancée Abigail, Tristan Demree; and her great-grandson Weston Porter.
A celebration of Barbara’s life will be held at Cross and Spurs Cowboy Church, 100 W. Lillian Dean, Buchanan Dam, TX, on Saturday, October 19, 2024, at noon. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made in Barbara’s memory to Cross and Spurs Cowboy Church or the Humane Society.