Kathleen “Kathy” Ann Keltner

Kathleen (Kathy) Ann (Jones) Keltner
September 8, 1957 – March 16, 2026

Kathleen (Kathy) Ann Keltner, 68, passed away peacefully in her home in Menomonee Falls, WI, on Monday, March 16, 2026, surrounded by the family that she so dearly loved.

Early Life and Education

Born on September 8, 1957, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Kathy was the daughter of Norman and Elizabeth (Betty) Jones. She attended Robertson and Remington Elementary, followed by Clinton Junior High School and Webster High School, before graduating from Tulsa Christian Academy in 1975. Kathy went on to attend Bob Jones University, graduating in 1979 with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a minor in French.

A Life of Faith and Ministry

Kathy accepted Jesus as her Savior at the age of five in 1962 in Mrs. Carter’s Sunday School class at Carbondale Bible Church. She met her future husband, Kenneth Keltner, at Carbondale Bible Church when she was only four years old. She spent the rest of her life following Jesus and serving Him faithfully. On July 30, 1983, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she married Kenneth William Keltner, beginning an impeccable friendship and Christ-centered marriage that spanned 42 and a half years.

Kathy’s life was an outpouring of her faith. Her greatest achievement was serving the Lord. Kathy fell in love with missions and missionaries at an early age; she was able to travel to 17 countries and go on over 20 missions trips. She was active in using her gifts, talents, and time to serve in her church, Christian schools, and Christian colleges.

There weren’t many ministries Kathy didn’t serve or lead in. She served in the nursery, children’s ministry, Awana, youth ministry, choir, orchestra, evangelism and women’s ministries, Spanish ministry, marriage ministry, senior citizens ministry, and in the church offices. In her own words: “I think I have done everything except the men’s ministry—and I am sure they could have used my help.”

Kathy was known for her exceptional hospitality and her love for cooking, often opening her home to people in the church, family, friends, missionaries, college students, interns, or even strangers—all out of an overflowing heart for the Lord.

Her heart for people was evident, as she was eager to share the Gospel with everyone she met. During her final eight months here on earth, she used the trial of cancer for the Lord. There were more than 50 medical personnel she shared the Gospel with and prayed for. She gave her family and church family a front-row seat to see her faith shine!

Family and Legacy

The greatest joy of Kathy’s life was her family. She dedicated herself to raising her four sons in the Lord and later delighted in her role as a mother-in-law and grandmother of 12 grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her mother, Elizabeth (Betty) Jones.

She is survived by her father, Norman Jones; her siblings, Richard Jones, Dave (Lissa) Jones, Pamela Eustace, and Mike (Judy) Jones; her husband, Kenneth William Keltner; and their four sons and their families:

• Kyle and his wife Kayla, and grandchildren Anya, Lawson, and Kendra
• Kevin and his wife Becka, and grandchildren Hollis, Finley, Rowan, and MiKenna
• Keith and his wife Sharlee, and grandchildren Bailey, Karson, and August Ann
• Kurt and his wife Liz, and grandchildren Zola and Eden.

Memorials April 11, 2026, at Brookside Baptist Church, 4470 Pilgrim Rd., Brookfield, WI 53005.

• Visitation: 8:30–10:30 a.m. CST
• Memorial Service: 10:30–11:45 a.m., followed by a luncheon at Brookside Baptist Church.
• Graveside Service: Wisconsin Memorial Park, 13235 W. Capitol Dr., Brookfield, WI 53005, following the luncheon.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be directed to the Brookside Baptist Church Missions Fund—either by check to the “Kathy Keltner Memorial Missions Fund” or online at brooksidebc.org—a cause close to Kathy’s heart for its work in continuing the Great Commission she so faithfully supported throughout her life.