North Huntingdon woman remembered for love of knitting, family

Everybody wanted Betty Keim’s hand-knitted dish cloths, and they’re still asking for them today, her daughter Sherry Dalrymple said.

“My mother made dish cloths like nobody’s business,” Dalrymple said, laughing.

An avid member of a knitting club held at the Norwin Public Library each week, Mrs. Keim took pride in what she made, which ranged from the cloths to baby afghans. And she always had her knitting supplies in hand, whether she was at the doctor’s office or a family gathering.

Mrs. Betty J. Keim, 92, of North Huntingdon, died Sunday, July 14, 2019.

Born in Meyersdale on Feb. 23, 1927, she was the daughter of the late Lee and Orpha Jones.

Dreaming of being a homemaker one day, Mrs. Keim met her late husband, Lloyd, when they finally introduced themselves after passing each other everyday. After they married, Mrs. Keim lived out her dream, raising three children and making them their favorite meals — carrot cake, creamed cucumbers and potato salad.

“My mom never wanted to work,” Dalrymple said. “She enjoyed taking care of her kids.”

Growing up, Dalrymple and her siblings always had the neighborhood kids over to swim, but Mrs. Keim had one rule: the kids had to rotate who brought the Kool-Aid and cookies to the party.

After the kids had grown up and Mrs. Keim was living at the Greensburg Care Center, Dalrymple would visit her every Saturday.

“I had spent all day Saturday with her … and that was something I will always cherish,” Dalrymple said. “I’d do her hair and help her walk around.”

“She taught me how to knit,” she added. “She was always willing to help anybody who had problems knitting.”

In her free time, Mrs. Keim would volunteer at the Norwin Public Library and attended church at Circleville United Methodist Church.

In addition to her daughter, Mrs. Keim is survived by her son Michael Keim and daughter Patricia Ann Whiteman; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Ott Funeral Home, 805 Pennsylvania Ave., Irwin. A funeral service will be held at a time to be announced Thursday in the funeral home.

Memorial donations may be made to Norwin Public Library, 100 Caruthers Lane, Irwin.