Mary Beth Keat, age 68, of Carroll, died Friday, January 14, 2022 at Accura Healthcare in Carroll.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, January 19, 2022 at First United Methodist Church in Carroll. Officiating will be Rev. Cindy Johnson of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church in Carroll. Congregational hymns will be accompanied by Jan Pothoff. Casket Bearers will be Wes Horn, Tom Reiter, Duane Proctor, John Kitch, Betty Peterson, and Bonnie Jackson. Burial will be in the Carroll City Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll. A prayer service will be held at 7 p.m. Additional visitation without greeting the family will be held from 9:30 – 10:15 a.m. Wednesday morning at the church.

A livestream of Mary’s funeral will be available on Wednesday morning on the First United Methodist Church Facebook Page, as well as their YouTube page.

The Keat family wishes to express gratitude to family and friends for their outpouring of thoughts and prayers. A special thank you to First United Methodist Church for their use of facilities for the funeral service.

Funeral arrangements are under the guidance of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll, and online condolences may be left for Mary’s family at  www.sharpfuneral.com.

Mary Beth (Juilfs) Keat was born to Welton and Marlyse (Viox) Juilfs on October 14th, 1953 at Nebraska City, Nebraska. Mary grew up in Talmage, Nebraska, the middle of five children. She was baptized and confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church. Mary graduated from Nemaha Valley High School in 1971, then attended the University of Nebraska to study elementary education where she graduated in 1975.

On October 30th, 1976 Mary married Richard Keat at Faith Lutheran Church in Talmage, Nebraska. Rick and Mary made their home in Carroll, Iowa. Mary started her teaching career at Mt Carmel, then Breda, and moving eventually to Carroll Public Schools, where she retired after 40 years. They became parents to Brian in 1978 and Sarah in 1981.

Mary was an avid sports fan, supporting the Nebraska Huskers, and later adopting the Hawkeyes and Yankees. Mary was a voracious reader, loved crosswords, puzzles, sewing, she especially loved teaching and spending time with her family.

Mary is survived by her son Brian Keat and his wife Stephenie, son-in-law John Danner and Niki, her grandchildren Joseph Core, Emma Danner, Caleb Danner, Maxwell Keat, and Benjamin Keat, siblings Merlin Julifs and Sarah, Bodie Juilfs and Doreen, Barb Beall and David, sister-in-law Judi Daniel and John, Jane Keat, brother-in-law Ron Keat.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents Welton and Marlyse Juilfs, mother-in-law Colet Keat, father-in-law George Keat, husband Rick Keat, daughter Sarah Danner, brother John Juilfs, sister-in-law Nancy Juilfs, and sister-in-law Deb Keat.