Beatrice V. Keator

Beatrice Keator, 93, died May 12, 2019, at the Miller Pointe Community, Mandan.

Services will be held at 10:30 am Friday, May 17, at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck.

Burial will be held at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Bismarck.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Thursday, May 16, at Parkway Funeral Service.

Beatrice was born November 9, 1925, in Underwood, ND, the daughter of Phillip and Emma (Schell) Bender. She grew up in the Underwood area where she attended school. Beatrice moved to Bismarck when she was 16 and started working at the Evangelical hospital. From there she went to work at Bell Telephone until 1945 and later to the Bismarck Hospital (Medcenter One) where she worked until her retirement in 1987.

Beatrice married Floyd “Bud” Keator on December 11, 1944, in Bismarck. They enjoyed having a cabin at Lake Tschida and spending time there with family. She loved playing cards with her family and friends, knitting, and was an awesome cook.

Beatrice is survived by her children, Gaylen (Linda), Ron (Pam), Mel (Gail), Denise (Mark) Gierke, and Keith (Sherry); 16 grandchildren; and several great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren; her sister, Agnes Krehlik; sisters-in-law, Leila Bender and Irene Bender; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband Bud in 1983; daughter Virginia Werre in 2005 and son-in-law, Jack Werre in 2018; her brothers, Alfred (Esther) Bender, Bert (Hattie) Bender, Delton Bender, Clarence Bender, and Irvin Bender; sister, Faye Hirschey; and brother-in-law, Ed Krehlik.

Memorials may be given to a charity of the donor’s choice.