Obituary of Ellen G. Keeter

96 years young, died on Tuesday, June 18, 2013 in Santa Barbara after a long, memorable and well- traveled life. Born on March 31, 1917 in Anaheim, Ellen always joked that she had orange hair because she was born in Orange County. On Christmas Eve of 1925, Ellen's father moved the family to Santa Barbara after the big earthquake, to find roofing work. Ellen graduated from Santa Barbara High School on January 24, 1936. Shortly after graduation, she followed in her mother's footsteps and became a Cosmetologist. She helped run the Joseph's School of Beauty for over 16 years along side her closest friend and school owner, Mary McKibben. Throughout the years Ellen held many titles. Among them were President of the Santa Barbara Hair Dresser's Association, President of the Goleta Lions Auxiliary, Director and later President, of the California Cosmetologist Association and President of the Las Madres Club. Ellen was also the last remaining charter member of the Woman's Service Club of Goleta, which she helped found in April 1943. In 1961 she was awarded the rare honor of being presented with a Life Membership to the WSCG. Ellen also enjoyed 60 years of membership to the Daughter's of the American Revolution and was a devout and faithful follower of the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart. It was this following that led her to volunteer at The St. Francis Medical Center from the mid 1970's until it's closure in 2003. Another one of Ellen's great passions was supporting the cats of the Santa Barbara Zoo where she was fortunate enough to be invited into their nursery to be one of Kiki's first visitors; a lion cub born in February 2004. It was one of her most favorite memories. Ellen's greatest pleasure was travelling the world which took her to many far away places such as China, Ireland, Holland, Egypt, Japan, Hungary, England and Greece, just to name a few. Ellen was preceded in death by her mother, Mae Nardi, sister, Maudie Gowler, son, David Elmer Keeter, and husbands Marvin Poteet and Elmer Keeter. She will be greatly missed by her granddaughters Elizabeth Keeter and Kimberly Keeter Mummey, great grandson Jeffrey Brian Mummey, nephew Mike Gulick, great niece Christine Moylan, great-great-nieces Isabella and Olivia Simon, and God-mother Margaret Farr. Services will be held on Tuesday, June 25, 2013 at 10:00 am at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Montecito; followed by a graveside service at Santa Barbara Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations to be made in Ellen's name to the Santa Barbara Zoo through the Santa Barbara Foundation, 1111 Chapala Street, Suite 200, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.