With her daughter, grandsons, and other close family and friends at her side, Glenda Faye Keith passed peacefully at Wright Memorial Hospital at the beautiful age of 88 at 5:14 p.m., June 14 2023 to joyfully greet her Jesus on the other side of Jordan.
Mrs. Glenda Keith, the youngest of three children, was born on August 18, 1934, to Ralph Ramer and Edith Pearl Speck Wooderson. Residing West of Spickard in Grundy County, Missouri, siblings Margaret Dolyn Wooderson Neely and Charles Ramer Wooderson completed Ralph and Pearl’s immediate family.
In 1935, her family moved into the small town of Spickard, Missouri, where her father quickly opened a blacksmith shop and garage. Glenda Faye began her twelve years of schooling in the Spickard R-II School District, graduating from Spickard High School in May of 1952. Glenda Faye loved all things musical, participating in school operas, plays, and other musical programs. Glenda Faye was a talented soprano carrying that vocal gift with her well into her adult life, blessing her church’s music ministry with her gift.
As a young child, Glenda Faye began attending the Spickard United Methodist Church and on Easter Sunday in 1949, she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior and was baptized.
On June 23, 1952, Glenda Faye married the love of her life, Dale M. Keith (AKA “Smiley”). Glenda Faye and Dale wed at the Grace Methodist Church in St. Louis, Missouri, with Glenda Faye’s sister and brother-in-law, Dolyn Wooderson Neely, and Jim Neely witnessing their nuptials. The Keiths were blessed to enjoy and celebrate 50+ years of marriage prior to Dale’s passing on April 22, 2003.
Glenda Faye and Dale moved to Des Moines, Iowa, after they wed and lived there for 18 months while Dale was employed in the State of Iowa by the Rock Island Railroad. Glenda Faye was employed at Bankers Life Insurance Company as a secretarial stenographer until the Rock Island transferred Dale back to Missouri. Residing in Spickard, Missouri, only briefly upon their return to the Show-Me State, Glenda Faye, and Dale eventually made Trenton, Missouri, their permanent home. After moving to Trenton, Glenda Faye was employed in the office of Goffe & Carkener Brokerage Company, a grain commodity and stock brokerage company.
Glenda Faye and Dale were entrepreneurial spirits. While both of them held formal jobs, they stepped out in faith multiple times to pursue business ventures that included: livestock farming on their 160-acre farm located Northeast of Trenton; co-owners of the Spickard Grain Elevator until 1985 when Dale assumed a position with the Katy Railroad in Colbert, Oklahoma; co-owners of The Bargain Spot in Trenton which specialized in new and used furniture and appliances. After selling the furniture and appliance store, the Keiths were gate attendants at Mark Twain Lake, serving the Corp of Engineers and the Ray Behren Campground in Perry, Missouri, for three years.
After nearly 20 years of marriage, Glenda Faye and Dale welcomed the light of their life! Monica Lynn Burchett was born on February 3, 1971, and at 16 days old, came to their home to forever be their little girl. Glenda Faye cherished her time with Monica Lynn, fun-filled packed times on the ballfield and at the farm. Glenda Faye was a devoted grandmother, welcoming into their family Monica Lynn’s three sons: Twins, Carson Dale Burchett and Dalton Keith Burchett were born on August 17, 2001, and Cody Rex Burchett born on July 1st, 1985. Moments spent with her grandsons were truly divine time!
Glenda Faye was a member of the Tenth Street Baptist Church. A member of the Order of the Eastern Star, receiving her 50-Year Membership Pin in 1999. She was a powerful advocate and committed worker of the Celebrate Recovery Program, sponsored by her church and which was dedicated to changing lives for Christ! She also served as a Sunday School teacher and active contributor to the church’s youth Sunday School and music ministries. Though her health failed, she continued to serve the Lord in other ways, which included daily devoted prayer; being a regular daily caller to the KTTN birthday and anniversary call-in program, and always being quick to enthusiastically remind others to “enjoy their day and count their blessings”. She remained a warrior for Christ to the end!
Glenda Faye was an avid fan of Branson’s Daniel O’Donnell, an Irish folk singer, rarely missing the weekly show on the RFD Channel as well as all her Christian Broadcasting Station Programming. She loved her nieces and nephews and cherished all the special times shared with them in her home and at the farm throughout her life.
Glenda Faye will be forever remembered by all who knew her as a patriot of her country and for her unwavering love of family and friends, and most of all, her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Glenda Faye is survived by her daughter, Monica Lynn Burchett of Trenton. In addition, Glenda Faye is survived by three grandsons: Carson Dale Burchett and wife, Olivia; Dalton Keith Burchett; and Cody Rex Burchett all of Trenton.
Glenda Faye is also survived by sisters-in-law, Bonnie Gumm of Trenton, Missouri, and Bonita Keith of Coffeyville, Kansas; nephews, Kevin Neely of St. Louis, MO, Sammy Lynch and wife, Paula of Trenton MO, and Tommy Lynch and wife, Karen of Spickard, MO; David Keith and companion, Michelle Clutter of Colbert, OK; Adam Keith of Colbert, OK. Nieces, Ann Taggert of Caney, KS; Carol Sue Vanbuskirk of Ephrata, WA, and Pamela Beverlin and husband, Mike of Trenton, MO. Great-nephews, Travis Michael Neely and wife, Pranavi, Kyle Nicholas Neely and significant other, Tess, and Tyler Joshua Neely; James Charles Neely; Dylan Neely all of St. Louis, MO. Great-niece Sabrina Ann Neely Fisher (Jason) of St. Louis, MO. In addition, Glenda Faye is also survived by many great-great nieces and nephews.
Additional survivors are these Wooderson and Speck cousins who were especially close to Glenda Faye and they include Donita Little of Gallatin, Missouri; Barbara Yatsey of Cameron, Missouri; Charles and Cheryl Farris of Kansas City, Missouri; Janet Speck Brewer of Spickard, Missouri; Cleo Thearl Speck and wife, Jane of Chillicothe, Missouri; and Gary LeMont Speck and wife, Beverly of Trenton, Missouri.
Surviving close friends include Charles and Linda Mullins of Trenton, Missouri; Tina and Nestor Leon of Kansas City, Missouri; Colene Scott of Chillicothe, Missouri; Diane Barnes and Rick Balistreri of Trenton, Missouri; Glendola Klinginsmith, Trenton, Missouri.
Glenda Faye was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, and husband, Dale, as well as sister, Dolyn, and brother, Ramer. Brothers-in-Law: Jim Neely, Wilbern Keith, Jerry Keith, William Preston Lynch, Sr., Otto Gumm, and Richard Hudspeth. Sisters-in-law: Virginia Lynch, Lula Grace Hudspeth, and Darlene Keith. Nephews: James C (Jimmy) Neely, William Preston Lynch, Jr. “Billy”, and Patrick Keith.
Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m., Monday, June 19, 2023, at the 10th St. Baptist Church. Burial will follow in Resthaven Memorial Gardens of Trenton. A visitation is scheduled from 1:00 until service time Monday. Memorial contributions are suggested to the Tenth Street Baptist Church in Trenton, Missouri, in lieu of flowers.
