Photos © by Kay Marshall

Posted by Janet Laubhan Flickinger

http://www.havenbrookfuneralhome.com/

Norman has lost one of its oldest residents. Marie Antoinette Keeling, our “Mimi”, who passed to be with her belated husband, Jack on July 24, 2014 at young age of 95 years. 

She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great- grandmother and friend. Marie was born on April 18, 1919 to R.J Maddox and Juanita Brock Maddox.  She had one sister, Helen Maddox Robinson, and they loved sharing life together.  She was raised in a home that celebrated music and art. Marie’s mother, Juanita played piano for the silent movies and her father, R.J. sold Lincoln automobiles in Oklahoma City, during the great depression.  In 1938 she graduated from Central High in Oklahoma City. While deciding whether or not to pursue ballet she got her first job at the John A. Brown Department store selling valentines making 15 cents an hour. She thought it was tons of fun. Later, she was promoted to selling handbags, and said that she really enjoyed the raise to 25 cents an hour… she felt very grown up.

On January 8th 1939 she married Jack Keeling, the love of her life. Marie admitted “I couldn’t cook, but it didn’t make any difference to my wonderful husband.” To see them together was to understand what love and devotion was about. They set a stellar example of marriage and how to treat the people you love with respect.

A year later they moved to Norman where she opened up Marie Keeling’s School of Ballet. Marie studied with the Chicago Ballet Company, the San Francisco Ballet Company and Detroit Ballet Company just to name a few. She taught her students the grace and beauty of ballet.  She started her first school on Campus Corner where New York Pizza is located in 1941.  Mimi was probably one of the first successful women entrepreneurs in Norman.  Though she retired in 1985 she kept dancing until the day she died.

Marie’s husband, Jack opened Keeling’s Jewelry in Norman, Oklahoma in the late 1940’s.  He had the first kodak camera store in Norman, Oklahoma.  Jack designed jewelry and was a watch maker.  He sold all of the latest fashionable watches, silver sets, and fine china.  Marie was a member of D.A.R. Oklahoma Society and National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution-Black Beaver Chapter 6-005-OK, Dance Masters of America, Dance Masters of Oklahoma, the music group – Sweet Adeline’s, First Baptist Church of Norman, varies church groups and bible studies, the sewing club and the Professional Wives Club.

She was a very proud member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.  Marie outlived her husband, her parents, her sister and most of her friends. 

She is survived by 2 sons, Richard B. Keeling from Dallas, Texas;, Charles L. Keeling and his wife, Cindee Pichot from Norman, Oklahoma; 4 grandchildren, Jeannie Fantasia and her husband, Frank Fantasia from Thousand Oaks, California, John Charles Keeling and his wife, Brooke Keeling from Junction City, Kansas and their children, Christien, Shawn, Brooklin, Aysha, John Charles; Ayla Elise Brown and her husband, Justin Brown and their daughter Elyse from Dallas, Texas;  Ashley N. Keeling from Dallas, Texas, as well as countless nieces, nephews, friends, and her students.  She is also survived by her loving niece, Beverly Cannon whom she treasured and adored, Linda Christy, her beloved caretaker who was the daughter she should have had, and Sara Jean Haddock the adoptive daughter she had.