Viola Marie Engstrom Keck Viola Marie Engstrom Keck went home to be with the Lord on Friday, November 20, 2009 in Houston, Texas. She was born on May 20, 1923 in Seattle, Washington to Swedish immigrant parents, the late John Arvid and Edla Andrietta Engstrom. Viola served her country in the United States Navy as a WAVE during WWII where she met and later married her husband of 50 years, the late William Kirk Keck. Viola was a gifted quilter. She received numerous quilting awards, taught classes and had national recognition in quilting magazines. Viola worshipped and served the Lord at First Baptist Church in Kingsville, Texas where she resided for nearly 50 years and Champion Forest Baptist Church in Houston, Texas where she spent the last two years of her life. Viola loved to travel to Sweden to visit family and many other destinations including Africa. She served as a missionary, teaching women to sew and quilt. Viola was a very loving mother, grandmother and greatgrandmother.

She leaves behind her five children, Ronnie (Roz) Keck, Ralph (Jayne) Keck, Marie (John) Hesler, Janice (Robert) Baxter, and Carolyn Keck; eight grandchildren, Beverly Keck, Cliff (Lori) Keck, Kristi (Kirk) Nix, Melissa Keck , Eric Jackson, Mandy (David) Pawlik, Andrietta Baxter, and Chauncey Baxter; nine great-grandchildren, Will Jackson, Kamyn, Reba, & Jaylyn Nix, Dawson, Devin, & Kiersten Pawlik, Landon & Ashlyn Keck; one brother, Chester (Eleanor) Engstrom; one sister, Mabel Larson; a very special cousin, Astrid (Rolf) Ristrom of Sweden; as well as numerous brothers and sisters in-laws, nieces, nephews and many church & quilting friends.

Visitation took place from 5:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. for family and 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. for the public on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at Turcotte Piper Mortuary, Kingsville, Texas. Funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, November 25, 2009 at the Turcotte-Piper Mortuary Chapel with Rev. Ron Earley officiating. Graveside service will follow that afternoon at 3:30 p.m. at the Gonzales Memorial Park Cemetery, Gonzales, Texas.

Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 751, Kingsville, Texas 78364.

Services are entrusted to Turcotte-Piper Mortuary, 205 General Cavazos Blvd., Kingsville, Texas.