Doris M. Keesee, age 83 of Malvern, died Wednesday morning, January 30, 2008, in the Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock. She was born on October 18, 1924 in Prattsville, Arkansas to the late Landis Baron and Claude Hope Mitchell. Reared and receiving her education in Prattsville, Doris excelled in school sports. She was a star player, along with her twin sister, Dorothy, on the high school basketball team, rarely scoring less than 10 points a game. During World War 2, she worked in an aircraft assembly factory in California, a job of which she was very proud. On April 22, 1946, she married James Keesee in Benton, Arkansas. Her husband owned and operated the Mayflower Moving and Storage Company in Malvern for many years. Doris participated in every aspect of the business over the course of its existence. Mr. Keesee preceded her in death in 2001. She was a member of First Baptist Church and attended the Ruth Sunday School Class.

She is survived by two sons, David and his wife, Melissa Keesee of Malvern, and Mark and his wife Neomia Keesee of Little Rock; by a daughter, Jean and her husband, J. E. Duffey of Houston, Texas; by a brother, Hiram Mitchell of Lake Village, Arkansas; by two sisters, Reba Allen of Phoenix, Arizona, and Theresa Evans of Orlando, Florida; by six grandchildren, Tinya Duffey, Curry Duffey, Mendi Kessee Palmer, Kendall Keesee Thornton, Jared Keesee, and Mitchell Keesee; and by three great-grandchildren, Carson Palmer, Sofia Duffey, and Talon Duffey Baleria.

Doris was also preceded in death by ten brothers and sisters.

Her funeral will be held at two o'clock Saturday afternoon, February 2, 2008, in the chapel of J. A. Funk Funeral Home with Dr. Verne Wickliffe officiating. Interment will follow in Oak Ridge Cemetery.

Pallbearers are: Curry Duffey, Jon David Palmer, Gary Bell, Mitchell Keesee, Waylon Sligh, and Jared Keesee.

Honorary pallbearers are: Robert Rigdon and Scott Fuell.

The visitation will be on Friday from five-thirty until seven o'clock in the evening at the mortuary.

Memorials may take the form of contributions to the First Baptist Church Family Life Center or to the American Heart Association.

The family extends its grateful appreciation to her Sunday School class for all their love and friendship over the years, and to Dr. Bruce White for his care and attention to Doris.

The family will be headquartered at 2828 Southgate Drive, Malvern.

Online condolesnces may be sent via jafunkfuneralhome.com.