Lola Faye Hannan Keith, 82, passed away on Sunday morning February 25, 2024, following a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.
Lola was born on August 14, 1941, to Raymond and Lily Hannan in Denison, Texas.
She grew up attending Colbert Public Schools and graduated from Colbert High School in 1959. Lola went on to study at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. She graduated early with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary and Music Education and began a career as an educator. While attending university, she met a handsome young athlete, Nick Keith.
Nick and Lola were joined in marriage in a ceremony on May 26, 1961, at Colbert Baptist Church. The couple moved to Albuquerque, NM to begin their long careers as educators and soon started a family. Lola and Nick raised three daughters: Kimberly San Millan, Kandace Keith, and Kayla Keith.
After a few years, the young couple felt the calling to return home to raise their girls near family and friends and relocated to Nick’s hometown of Atoka, Okla.
Lola was a talented piano player and vocalist who served as a pianist for her family’s church from her 8th-grade year through her senior year in high school. She also played basketball and was an active participant in various school, church, and community organizations throughout her childhood years. During her college years, she was an excellent student who completed her degree in three years despite her involvement in many extracurricular activities as well as participating and planning many mischievous pranks on her friends in the dorms—some of which included fireworks in the fire escape slide and gluing objects such as cosmetics, pens, brushes, etc. to desks and vanities— don’t worry, they got her back.
Lola’s career in education spanned more than 30 years. She served her students in many capacities. She was a reading specialist and interventionist, she taught students in first through fifth grades and she served with many of the finest teachers in the world at George Washington Elementary in Durant, Okla. Nicknamed the “old skins,” they provided love, support, guidance, and a love of learning to students of whom many were at risk due to factors beyond their control.
Lola was an avid reader. She reveled in curling up in her bed with a good book and a glass of unsweetened iced tea. She also had a love of travel, beaches, music, theatre arts, art, basketball, tennis, and the Dallas Cowboys. She made sure that her children and grandchildren had many opportunities to pursue the enjoyment of all these things as well. They all carry that legacy today. She and her dear friends Susan and Bobby took a whirlwind tour of Europe together. Through the years they took their kids, eight altogether, on many road trips in Bobby’s station wagon, including tent camping on the beach, and once across the south stopping at various tourist wonders and then on to Disney World. She also loved traveling to Ireland with her only sister, Rebecca, whom she adored. Her last adventure traveling was with her daughters to visit Israel, her lifelong dream.
She was an active servant of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Durant, Okla., and of St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Sherman, Texas, in many capacities as lay reader, Alter Guild, Daughters of the King, and member of the choir.
She was a passionate coach’s wife, always cheering on the team. She loved the players as if they were her own. The entire family spent numerous evenings at the gym during basketball season at Atoka High School and Southeastern OK State University. She remained a selfless mother and grandmother, always putting her daughters’ and grandchildren’s needs and wants first. Lola never missed her children’s and grandchildren’s events and activities—countless football, basketball, baseball games, soccer games, dance recitals and dance competitions, gymnastics meets, cheerleading, musical performances, theatre performances, band concerts, awards presentations, and parties!
Grandma Lola, also known sometimes as Gaga, delighted in making sure that every birthday was special for each grandchild with a shopping trip to the mall, a new build-a-bear, and a dinner out at a restaurant of their choice and sleepovers with the full spa treatment, movies, and limitless snacks.
Lola kept a warm and engaging smile ready for everyone along with a keen sense of humor. Lola loved fiercely and deeply and we take comfort in knowing that she is now at peace surrounded by light.
Lola was predeceased by her husband, Nick Charles Keith, and her parents, Raymond and Lily Hannan.
She is survived by her sister, Rebecca Hannan Bradford (Garry) of Corpus Christi, Texas; her daughters: Kimberly San Millan (Lance) of Pottsboro, Texas, Kandace Keith of Durant, Okla., Kayla Keith of Dallas, Texas; grandchildren: Sydni Pierce (Joe) of Durant, Okla., Nick San Millan (Rachel) of Denison, Texas, Kathryn San Millan of Dallas, Texas, Elizabeth San Millan of New York, N.Y.; and great-grandchildren: Lily Pierce, Atticus Pierce, Kohen Madden and great-granddog, Zeus.
The family would like to express our deepest love and gratitude to the staff and caregivers of Grayson Court and Centric Hospice Care for their consistent devotion, care, hugs and kisses, and lavish pampering of our sweet Ms. Lola Faye.
Services will be held at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Durant, Okla., at 11 a.m. on March 9, 2024, with lunch provided in the parish hall following the service.
Services are under the direction of Brown’s Funeral Service of Durant.