Alma Oleta Keister,

94, went to be with her Heavenly Father on April 3, 2021, at the Willard Walker Hospice in Fayetteville. She was born on Nov. 19, 1926, in Combs, Ark., to William Silas and Dona Esther (Patrick) Hester.

Alma grew up in Fayetteville where she met her husband Eugene of 66 years. Together they made a life here and raised two daughters. In her earlier years she worked several places like Woodruff’s Cleaners before taking a job at the City Hospital working in the cafeteria from which she would retire after 20 years. After retirement, she would have more time for her hand embroidery and amazing pie baking which she loved. She found joy in the simple things in life like her beautiful yard full of flowers, feeding the birds and every other critter that came her way. She was a loving, caring wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother whom we admired for her strength, compassion and love for her family. She will be greatly missed.

She is preceded in death by her parents, William Silas and Dona Esther (Patrick) Hester; her loving husband, Eugene Charles Keister; her brothers, Delbert and Roy; and her sister, Mary, for whom she longed to be reunited with.

Alma is survived by her two daughters, Phyllis Brooks of Fayetteville, and Sheila Budd of Alford, Fla.; three granddaughters, Jody Shipp and husband David of Huntsville, Sarah Blake of Fayetteville, and Lindsay Budd Prickett of Donalsonville, Ga.; nine great-grandchildren, Matthew (Rachel) Shipp, Joshua (Nicole) Shipp, Kailisa (Cory) Smith, Jasmine Blake, Kobe Blake, Cayden Blake, Chloe Blake and Emalee Blake, all of Fayetteville, and Caleb Prickett of Donalsonville, Ga.; as well as six great-great-grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m., on Wednesday, April 7, 2021, at Campbell Cemetery in West Fork.

To place an online tribute, visit www.bernafuneralhomes.com .