Patricia Sanderson Keeton

On July 23, the world, this community, and a grieving family lost an amazing human being. Patricia Sanderson Keeton epitomized kindness, compassion, love, generosity of spirit, integrity, honesty, strength, and grace under pressure. She never met a stranger and her door was always open.

Tricia was quite simply the best. She was funny. If you were with her, you were going to laugh. Her laughter was infectious—you just wanted to be a part of whatever she was doing. She loved just being silly, and had a great sense of humor. Just like her laugh, her cry made you ache right with her. She would never hurt anyone and it broke her heart for anyone to be mad at her.

While she might cry over spiders and Hallmark commercials, she had a warrior spirit. Tricia fought a battle with colon cancer several years ago, and throughout that fight, she never broke down. She did chemo, worked her job, and cared for her family. When faced with a relapse scare later, she cried—not for fear or sadness for herself, but because of her pain at how it would hurt the ones she loved.

Tricia was a defender and protector. The youngest of four girls born to her parents, Clara and John Sanderson, Tricia would cry any time her sisters got in trouble. As a wife and mother, she would swoop in to do battle if you threatened those she loved.

Tricia was an overdoer. If there was a celebration, you could count on Tricia attempting to feed the entire group. In watching her prepare for family holiday meals, you would wonder if anyone else was bringing a dish or if it was just Tricia feeding an army.

Tricia loved life. She loved her friends and family. And, if she met you, you fell into one of those two categories.

Tricia loved music of all genres. If there was music playing, Tricia was going to be singing and swaying to the sounds.

Tricia loved yard sales and thrift store shopping. She treated these pass times as serious business, often planning and mapping out which yard sales to stop at in order. She loved playing cards—when she worked on the arsenal, she played cards every day with a small group. After retiring, she still met with them to play.

In the wake of her loss, Tricia is mourned by many. She leaves behind her husband of 48 years, Thomas Keeton; her daughter, Kacey; her son, Jason; her daughter-in-law, Kim; her granddaughter, Chloe; her sisters, Ramona Smith, Evelyn Moore, and Elizabeth Moore; and a host of other relatives.

Tricia loved children and dogs. Over her life, Tricia has had numerous rescued pets; and her granddaughter was truly one of the greatest joys of her life. To celebrate Tricia’s loves, her family asks that in lieu of flowers, you consider a donation to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Madison Animal Rescue Foundation (Madison ARF). And, to think a kind thought about her every time you stop at a yard sale or a thrift store.

The funeral home requests that people coming to the visitation and service wear a mask and practice social distancing to abide by the current statewide regulation.