Keith K. Stratton

A funeral Mass for Keith K. Stratton will be at 11 a.m., Saturday, Aug. 1 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Newton, with Father William Reynolds and Deacon Dan Goetz officiating. Pence-Reese Funeral Home in Newton has been entrusted with the arrangements. A Rosary will be at 4:30 p.m., Friday, July 31 at Sacred Heart, with a community visitation to follow from 5 to 7 p.m., and a vigil service at 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Keith’s memory or to Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

Keith Krier Stratton, 83, the son of Chester and Gertrude (Krier) Stratton, was born May 5, 1932, in Milford. He graduated from Kingsley High School in Kingsley, and later from Morningside College, with a degree in accounting. Keith served his country in the U.S. Navy during the Korean Conflict from 1952 to 1960.

On Dec. 27, 1952, Keith was united in marriage with Cecelia E. O’Neill at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Morse. After his service and college graduation, they moved to Kellogg in 1960, when Keith began his work at the Maytag Company. He retired in 1996, in the financial department, after 36.3 years. He also volunteered to help people with their yearly taxes. A longtime resident of the Newton area, he devoted his life to his family, and was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church.

He was involved in many church ministries and was an active member of the Knights of Columbus. He enjoyed coaching youth sports, being involved with Boy Scouts, played golf, cards, traveled and loved following his grandchildren’s activities.

The Iowa Hawkeyes, UNI Panthers and St. Louis Cardinals were his teams that he followed closely. He was a kind and warm-hearted man who will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.

Keith died Monday evening, July 27, 2015, at his home in Park Centre. He was preceded in death by his parents; a great-grandson Charlie Stratton; a granddaughter Amy Metzger; a brother Robert Stratton; and a sister Vivian Kaefring.

Those left to honor Keith’s memory include his wife Cecelia; his sons, Martin (Debra) Stratton of Newton and Edward (Darla) Stratton of Ballwin, Mo.; his daughters, Victoria (Greg) McLeod of Villages, Fla., Sue Ellen (Jack) Metzger of Grayslake, Ill., Laura (Len) Metzger of Collinsville, Ill. and Carmie (Blair) Shipley of Newton; 14 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.