Barbara Keys, the dearly beloved matriarch of the Keys family, passed away peacefully in her sleep on the night of April 22 after a long and brave battle with Alzheimer's disease.
Barbara was born July 9, 1923, in Long Beach, Calif.
Barbara moved to her lovely home in Hailey with her husband Barney in 1994 and fell in love with the small-town life, great climate and all the fun activities of a mountain valley. Barbara was always loving and generous and lived for her family, her home, her dogs and Barney. With ice skating a life long passion, she loved the ice shows every summer at Sun Valley. Nothing was more satisfying to Barbara than puttering around her yard with her dogs and grandkids and then making a great evening meal and watching the light fade on the hills as the sun went down.
Barbara's devotion and sweet spirit will always be missed by her surviving family: daughters Karen Keys and Wendy Crane of Southern California; son Jeff Keys and his wife, Sheila, of Bellevue; and grandchildren Marrissa Swain of Southern California; Stacey Atherton of Vallejo, Calif.; Adrien Keys of Hayfork, Calif.; and Austin, Andre and Ian Keys of Bellevue.
A family memorial celebration will take place this Sunday afternoon at the Hailey Cemetery where her ashes will be laid to rest beside her husband Barney. The golden mountain light will always shine down on Barbara as her light will always warm the hearts of her family and all who knew her.
