Aggie Keesling

is honored with a Brick from her daughter

   Agnes Elizabeth Keesling was born on Jan. 1st 1928 to Bill and Mickey Rhodes in the small eastern Kansas town of Englevale. “Aggie” was their only child and the center of their lives.
   Aggie graduated from Arma High School in 1946. After graduation she worked in Parsons Kansas making ammunition for our soldiers during World War II. After the ammunition plant, Aggie decided that being a nurse was her calling and she entered school in Fort Scott, Kansas at Mercy School of Nursing. From there Aggie went to Wichita, Kansas to study psychiatry and onto Hutchinson, Kansas to do her obstetrics studies. It was there that she met a young man who had recently returned home to Kansas from the Korean War. In 1955 she married Charles Leroy Keesling in Sylvia, Kansas. In those days a woman could not be in nursing school and be married, so “nursing lost out to tall, dark and handsome.”
   Roy and Aggie settled in the Sylvia-Plevna area of Kansas and had two children. Ronda in 1957 and Kurt in 1960. Roy worked for Cities Service Oil Company and Aggie was a stay at home mom or housewife as they were called back then. Aggie devoted her all her time to caring for her family, her parents, Roy’s parents and her community.
   Aggie was a loving daughter-in-law to Roy’s parents Luther and Elma Keesling. Roy and Aggie went as far as moving next door to them so they could spend their last years on the family farm north of Sylvia. Aggie used her nursing skills caring for them in their last days. Luther passed away in 1967 and Elma in 1971. After their deaths Roy and Aggie moved to St. John Kansas.
   Aggie was a devoted daughter to her parents’ Bill and Mickey. She loved them dearly and moved them to St. John to care for her mother after a stroke left her bedridden. Once again her nursing skills were put to use caring for Mickey and making her as comfortable as possible. Mickey passed away in 1997 and her dad Bill in 2003. No daughter could have done more for her parents.
   In the late 80’s Roy took early retirement and he and Aggie bought a motor home and boat. They spent several happy and well-deserved years traveling and camping. In 1996 Roy passed away suddenly. Aggie spent 41 years loving her “tall, dark and handsome.” Now her children were worried about Mom and how she would cope. After a few months she slowly took the motor home for a drive, she was always the co-pilot and hadn’t driven it much at all. After a few short trips’ Mom was gone traveling the States, Canada and up to Alaska. Joining a club called ‘Loners on Wheels” for people who lost their mates, Mom was on the road. In classic “what comes around goes around” her children were now pacing the floor wondering where mom was and “why hasn’t she called to check in with us.” Mom loves traveling and especially enjoys the beautiful scenery that God created. She is also a gifted artist doing beautiful western scenes, wildlife and barns on canvas with oil paints.
   Aggie has three grandchildren that adore her. Amber Elliott, Klay Keesling and Kallie Keesling. Grandma has spent countless hours in the bleachers cheering her grandchildren on in football, basketball and track and attending other school programs. Her oldest granddaughter Amber has followed her into nursing and Klay and Kallie are both college students. At this time she is also Great-Grandma to two little girls, Kendrian and Lyllian. They too, love their Grandma Aggie.
   A child’s first and greatest blessing is a wonderful mother. Ronda and Kurt received that blessing many times over, as have her son and daughter-in-law.
   Mom is my heroine because of her endless devotion to those she loves. Her quiet strength, her kindness to everyone she meets, her honesty and caring. We are lucky and proud to have her as a wonderful role model for generations of our family yet to come. We love you Mom.