Dorothy J. Keyes

Dorothy (Ronnebaum) Keyes, 96, was the kind of woman a family is built around. A loving mother, wife, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she was devoted to her Catholic faith and determined to spend every moment she could with the people she loved.

A skilled golfer and bowler, Dorothy was a world traveler. Her well-tended gardens bloomed with roses, irises, peonies, tulips, and many more. She adored Lake Michigan, especially the way its blues shifted from one day to the next. A math whiz, Dorothy kept the books for the family business, Gray’s Inc.

Celebrations at the Keyes house were legendary, whether for a holiday, a birthday, or her card club. Everyone was welcome, and her children’s friends came to think of the house as a second home. Her sweet tooth was a constant, especially when it came to oatmeal raisin cookies.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Robert; her son, Jeffrey; and her sons-in-law, James Walsh and Michael Zawikowski. She is survived by her eight children: Thomas Keyes (Barb Bartreau), Patricia Walsh Thompson (Ken), James Keyes (Joanie), Suzanne Stanton (Tom), Colleen Zawikowski, Mary Keyes (Tom Proost), Richard Keyes (John Wagner), and Nicholas Keyes (Mary Joan). She is also survived by 18 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Dorothy’s name may be made to South Milwaukee Human Concerns.