Julia Cecile Keesling died on Friday, July 22, 2022. Born October 17, 1931, at Sterling, Julie was the daughter of George Harold and Velma Ione Underwood Bruer. She was a 1950 graduate of Hutchinson High School and a 1973 graduate of McPherson Licensed Practical School of Nursing.
On August 29, 1950, Julie married Lyle W. McKinney in the South Hutchinson Methodist Church. To this union was born three sons, Michael, David, and Tim. Later on August 10, 1979, Julie married Harvey E. Keesling, in Sylvia. Harvey passed away on March 17, 2005.
Julie was a former member of the Methodist Churches in South Hutchinson, Arlington, Lerado, and Sylvia. She also attended Sylvia and Penalosa Churches of Christ. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star and the Rebekah Lodge for over 60 years, the Lucky Circle Sewing Club in Arlington, and was Kanza Council den mother for Cub and Boy Scouts. In March of 1972, Julie was awarded the Silver Fawn by the Kanza Council Boy Scouts of America, the highest honor bestowed upon a scouting volunteer. She was also a member of the Sylvia Ladies Auxiliary.
Julie’s first job was working at Shrum’s Cafe in Hutchinson, while she was in high school, where she met Maxine Albright, who became her sister-in-law and lifelong friend. Next she worked at Ferguson’s Jewelry in the 1950’s, followed by taking off 10 years to be a housewife and mother. During this time she helped her father-in-law Vernal McKinney with the family farm. In 1966 Julie became the kitchen manager at Fairfield High School, and she held this job until 1972. After Julie became a nurse, she worked at the Stafford Hospital from 1973 until 1984. She retired from nursing to help Harvey on the farm. Later in life she babysat several children of Fairfield teachers.
Julie loved life and she loved her family. Her mom taught her to sew in the 1930’s and she enjoyed sewing and quilting for as long as she could see to do it. Many family members have been blessed with her quilts of love. There is no way to count the number of dresses that Julie made for relatives and friends. As a child of the depression, Julie also learned to can, grow food, and cook to help keep up with her family of 11 siblings. She loved to cook, and was excellent at it, as her sons and grandsons can attest. One of her later interests in life was genealogy and this involved research trips across the country with Dan, Bonnie, and her sister Martha. She loved to tell stories about those trips. Julie loved every single holiday and went all out to decorate and make it special for her loved ones. Christmas was at the top of the list and her presents always piled up over halfway up the tree. She loved giving more than anything! And then there was her love of watching sports, especially her grandsons, as well as attending the National Junior College Basketball Tournaments in Hutchinson each year with Harvey.
Julie is survived by her sons and their wives: Michael and Pamela McKinney of Elizabeth, Colorado; David McKinney of Carl Junction, Missouri; and Tim and Betsy McKinney of Sylvia. She had six grandsons, Denny (& Monica), Michael (& Michelle) Ethan, Eli, Jace, and Jared (& Sara.). She had seven great-grandchildren: Jason, Bayley, Jessie, Logan, Gabriel, Grayson, and Jackson, and one great-great granddaughter named Adelei.
Julie was preceded in death by all 10 of her siblings and their spouses. Services are at Minnis Chapel in Stafford, on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, at 10 am, with burial following at Lerado Cemetery..