Fanny Bernice Keith

Fanny Bernice Keith, of Orlando, Florida, stepped into heaven Thursday morning, August 10, 2023, at the age of 83 years old. She was born September 11, 1939, to her parents Anna Nixon Moore and Hiram Moore in Cranes Nest, Virginia, where she was raised. Her father, Hiram, was a hard-working coal miner for most of his life and her mother Anna was a homemaker and the local midwife. We all knew her by her preferred name, Bernice. Anna's mother named Bernice after one of her sisters, in the hope that her "Bernice" would grow up to be a fine Christian woman like her sister had been, and she certainly did.

Bernice met her future husband, Ralph Keith, in downtown Coeburn. She always said he was wearing a "funny looking coat and hat" (military issue), but that didn't keep her from accepting his proposal the 2nd time they met! The two eloped and were married on December 23, 1957. The story goes that her older brothers were searching for Ralph and may have killed him if they caught up to him as their baby sister was only 18 years old at the time.

The Keith family grew and they added 3 sons and a daughter to their family, all while moving from state to state as the military dictated. The military life was all they knew, and it was a good life for the most part. Ralph was sent away from his family to tours in Korea, Turkey and Vietnam. At times, Bernice was scared and lonely when he was deployed, but she did what she needed to. The longest stretch that saw the family together in one place was 3 years in the Panama Canal Zone. This is where Bernice and Ralph began their walk with Christ and started attending church. Bernice also enjoyed their time living in Germany. They were able to take excursions to visit other places in Europe, most notably Paris. The Air Force afforded many experiences foreign to the average family.


When her husband retired from the military in 1975, the family moved to Orlando, Florida where they bought a home and finally settled for the first time in their married lives. At that time, Bernice and her family joined First Baptist Church of Union Park, now known as Grace Journey Community Church, of which Ralph and Bernice were both members until their death. Early in her church membership, Bernice became active in the children's bus ministry and this formerly shy woman was transformed! She has always loved children and as she went out on Saturdays meeting families and inviting the children to ride the bus the next day, she grew more and more courageous. Her love for her Lord Jesus and the children overcame her shy tendencies.

In her later years she loved to frequent thrift stores and yard sales, where she would shop for the people she loved. She lavished many gifts upon her family, some needed and some not so much. She was busy expressing her love, and one of her love languages was definitely gifts! While at the stores she would strike up conversations with people and invite them to her church; she was always so excited when someone she had invited showed up. There probably wasn't anyone she spoke to who she didn't at least ask whether they attended church somewhere. She also loved to eat out and was always so kind to the servers and had many that looked forward to seeing her come in.


Bernice loved her large family and was so very thankful for them, and her family loved her right back. She was such a good mother… really, the best. But, she was an even better grandmother and great grandmother! She adored those children. Her whole countenance lit up when she saw them. They all know how much she loved them. She couldn't have hidden it if she tried. She had a way of making each one feel like they were her favorite. She will be missed by all, but especially by all her grandchildren, both grown ones and little ones. They were so blessed to have her, as were we all.

Even though Bernice's life here on earth has ended, her eternal life has just begun. This is just the beginning. She has walked from death into life. She has been reunited with her husband, her parents, and many siblings who she has been missing so very much in these last years.

Bernice is survived by her children, Dan (wife Jennifer), Sherry (husband Danny), Mike (wife Lisa), David; her grandchildren, Beverly (husband Arnel), Jessica (husband Nathan), Christopher (wife Nicole), Matthew, Andrew, Kristi, Danielle, Nicole, Kyle; her great grandchildren, Rachael, Brooke, Kayleigh, Ben, Brayden, Aria, Sadie, Aris, Anya, Raven, Ayla; her brothers, Roy Brickey and Truman Moore, and many nieces and nephews, too numerous to count.

There will be a viewing on Thursday evening, August 17 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm and a Celebration of Life Service on Friday, August 18 at 10:00am. Both events will take place at Grace Journey Community Church located at 10301 E Colonial Drive, Union Park, FL 32817. Ladies are invited to pick up one of Bernice's hats at the back of the church or wear one of your own in her memory, as she loved her hats.

To share a memory of Bernice or leave a special message of condolence for her family, please visit the guestbook below. [All flower deliveries should be sent to the church address on Thursday, August 17, by 4:00pm].