Sarah Grayson Keck

Sarah Ladella Grayson Keck, age 93 went home to her Lord and Savior on August 6, 2025. She was born on August 19, 1931, in Bald Knob, Arkansas to Ernest and Sarah Grayson, and eloped and married her husband, Billy Joe Keck of 74 years on May 21, 1951. 

She is survived by her sister, Esther Grayson Brannon of Conway, Arkansas, three children and their spouses, Johnny Lee Keck and wife Cindy Keck of Brea, California, Billie LaDelle Villalba and husband, Gilbert Villalba of Waco, Texas and Patricia Grayson-Phillips and husband Scott of Gibsonville, North Carolina; grandchildren, Emily Keck, Katherine (James) Ross and Rebecca (Jared) Abato; Darrell (Chris) Amling, Cory (Kelly)Amling, Andrea (Jon) Mayhew, Adam (Miara) Villalba, Vanessa (Jeff Potts) Villalba, Kristin Thomas (Brian), and Sara Richards, JD Tucker and 18 great-grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, Ernest Grayson, Sr., Sarah Edna Emde Grayson, and her husband, Billy Joe Keck, and siblings, Ernest Grayson, Jr., Marylou Grayson Peters, Lila Lee Grayson Rapier, John Grayson.

Our mother was the most gracious, kind, loving, God fearing woman we have ever known. She loved her family, children, and grandchildren so very much and enjoyed seeing them all grow up. She raised us with love in her heart and her love of the Lord. Of her life, we know she grew up as the oldest daughter of a local farmer in Bald Knob, Arkansas and would share her life experiences with anyone who would take a few minutes to listen. We know she was strong and resilient because she lived through tough times like the Great Depression living on a working farm. She had a garden no matter where she lived, loved to can and preserve what she grew because “you never know when you might need it.” She always had a smile on her face, knew no stranger, and would talk all day about growing up on the farm, climbing trees, and her family. Her last years were spent in Memory care as Alzheimer’s stole her memories but the things she would remember were her love of God, reading her bible every day, her love of her children and grandchildren and the life she lived simply on the family farm. She had a few jobs around being a homemaker and Mother; she worked as a seamstress, a nurse, and retired from Roller-Daniel Funeral Home in Searcy, Arkansas.

Her life was a living example of her favorite Bible verse, Ephesians 4:32 — “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” She was a woman who was committed to her Lord Jesus. She traveled coast to coast with her family, living many new places and but always coming back home to Arkansas. Anytime we would visit her, she would always have her preciously worn yearly Bible in her lap. She would tell us, “Everyone needs a yearly Bible, you can read the Bible in a year that way”. Many times, I would come in when she was reading it. She talked about Jesus and the Bible to any and all that would listen. She was unashamed to do so. Our mother said to me that there was “no doubt about her salvation, one day she would go to meet our Lord.” Our Mom trusted and lived for her Lord as best she knew how, and we can only hope to have the same faith in God. She will be greatly missed by all her family and friends.

We would like to thank the caregivers of The Oaks of Alamance and the team of hospice workers with Authocare of Burlington who cared for mom during her last days. Lowe Funeral Home of Burlington, NC will handle her cremation, and her ashes will be set to rest near the family farm in Prince Cemetery, Bald Knob, Arkansas on September 26, 2025 at 10am. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Alzheimer’s Association in her remembrance at https://www.alz.org.