Aletha Keelen

Aletha Welch Eubank Keelen, 96, a missionary of a soul, was born in 1924 and died Sept. 11 in Waco. As a child her family moved from Central Texas, the Panhandle and the lower Rio Grande Valley. They settled in Corpus Christi where she played clarinet in high school and met her two future husbands. The first was Riley Eubank, who was training as a fighter-bomber pilot during World War II and later became a Baptist minister. They came to Seventh and James Baptist in 1961 where she was involved in church and community duties. Divorce came and she went to work at Baylor. She earned the name 'Mama Eu' as she and a group of students became fast friends because of her love and generosity.

She renewed friendship with Tom Keelen, a former high school classmate, who was finishing a career at Shell Oil in Houston. They married, retired and moved to Waco where she renewed community duties, particularly The Ford House. A lifelong artist with fabric, she also painted china. Holidays at her house thrilled her grandchildren with the decorations, special menus complete with pies, gifts she had sewn, and games-- lots of games.

Even at her death, she was planning what gifts to sew for her four great grandchildren.

Survivors: son Dean Eubank of Arlington, daughter Nancy and son-in-law Paul Lewis of Austin, grand-daughter Amber and grandson-in-law Roderick de Vries of Amsterdam, the Netherlands, granddaughter Robyn and grandson-in-law Chris Slye of Dallas, granddaughter Jessica Lewis of Austin, granddaughter Ellen Eubank of Richardson, and four perfect and wiggly great grandchildren.

Memorial will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday Oct. 2, Seventh and James Church, 602 James Ave. Waco.