(Beaver, UT) - Our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and friend, Edla Anne Humphrey Keele, returned to her Father in Heaven Tuesday, July 10, 2012. Edla was born September 17, 1936 in Salina, Utah to Arvilla Larson Humphrey and Leone Isaac Humphrey. She was the youngest of seven children.

In 1954 she was married to Melvin Richard Keele. They made their home in Colombia, Utah and welcomed two daughters, Christina and Joan, and two sons, M. Richard Jr., and Thomas Leone, into their family. In 1962 they moved to Las Vegas.

Education was very important to Edla. In 1968, she received a Bachelor’s degree in elementary education from UNLV (formerly Nevada Southern University). She went on to earn two Master’s Degrees in Education and Literacy. She taught school in Clark County for 29 years, influencing the lives of thousands of children with her intelligence, love, and humor. She encouraged all of her posterity to pursue higher education, and was rewarded with 5 Doctorate degrees, 4 Master’s degrees, 8 Bachelor’s degrees, 2 Associates degrees, and many educations still in the works!

Her greatest legacy was her testimony of the Savior. She was a faithful member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and served in many callings, including: Jr. Sunday School Coordinator, Stake Primary President, Stake Relief Society Presidency, and Visiting Teacher. She and her husband, Mel also served a mission at the Bishop’s Storehouse in Las Vegas for three years, and worked at the Las Vegas temple. Both sons, and nine grandsons served missions. She was privileged to see all four children and twelve grandchildren sealed to wonderful spouses in the temple, and we hope that she will be able to see two more grandchildren sealed this summer. She loved her Savior and that love radiated to everyone around her.

Edla is survived by her beloved eternal companion, Mel Keele and her four children and their spouses, Christina & Cody Wilkins, M. Richard & Tammy Keele, Joan & Delmar Leatham, and Tom & Rhonda Keele; eighteen grandchildren and fourteen grandchildren-in-law; and twenty-three great-grandchildren with three more on the way.

She was preceded in death by her dear mother, Arvilla (1944), her father, Leone Isaac (1974), and her two sisters and four brothers.

Words can not tell how much we will miss our dear Edla. She taught us how to live, how to love, how to take care of each other and most of all how to laugh and enjoy life. We are so blessed to have had her influence in our lives and to have the testimony that we may continue our association with her in the eternities.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, July 14, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the Beaver Stake Center in Beaver, Utah. Visitations will be held Friday, July 13, 2012 from 6-8:00 p.m. and Saturday, July 14, 2012 from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Beaver Stake Center. Interment will be in the Mt. View Cemetery under the direction of Southern Utah Mortuary, 195 North 200 West, Beaver, Utah - (435) 438-2201..