Kathy J. Keene passed away December 28th, 2025, at Butterworth Heart Center in Grand Rapids. Surrounded by her sister Carrie and her Pastor and friends at the age of 67. Kathy J. Austin was born August 2, 1958, in Allegan General Hospital. She was born to Lee & Molly Austin. And later sister to Carrie Austin. All through school she was a model student and her teachers enjoyed her. She was very good at sports, had many friends and hung out with them whenever she could. She was also a musician and played the piano for years, the clarinet in school, and the guitar. In 1976-77 she drove out to Santa Maria, California by herself to live with a girlfriend for about a year. She loved it out there and got a temporary job at a gas station. She loved the sun so much that she even laid out in the fog one day while in Florida visiting our folks. She moved back to Allegan where she continued her relationship with Dennis R. Keene and they got married on October 22, 1977, at the First Congregational Church in Allegan. He was the best thing that ever happened to her. They went on trips out west and had great times together and with friends. They loved mudding and two-tracking in the woods. Dennis was 6' 4" and she was 5' 4". They made quite a couple. They lived in a little cottage on Baseline Lake and then later moved into a trailer in Dumont Creek Estates, Allegan. Unfortunately, two years after they were married Dennis passed away from the Lou Gehrig disease – ALS, the deadliest form of Muscular Dystrophy. Kathy continued her life alone but still had many friends and relatives to keep her busy, along with her 20-year job at L. Perrigo as a team member and then a line leader. After that she worked in various homes for Adult Foster Care. Kathy had her challenges, many ups and downs but she held on. She will be missed by many.

A Memorial Service will be planned this spring of 2026.