STANTON - Mary Belle (Johnson) Keaton passed away peacefully at home on May 13, 2026, surrounded by family and friends as she walked into the arms of Jesus.
Funeral service was held at 1:30 p.m. on May 18, at First Baptist Church Stanton with Rev. David Harp officiating. Interment followed at Resthaven Cemetery in Midland.
The family received guests from May 17, at Gilbreath Funeral Home in Stanton.
She was born on Aug. 30, 1934, at home in the Goforth community in Hays County, to Daniel Webster and Virgie Belle (Schuelke) Johnson. She moved with her family to the Courtney community in Martin County in 1943 and then later moved into Stanton in 1945.
Mary Belle attended school in Kyle, Courtney and Stanton – graduating from SHS in 1951. She worked as a soda jerk at Hall’s Drug Store during high school and went to work at First National Bank Stanton after graduation at age 16 and then worked for the Martin County Judge.
In 1954, she went to work for Midland Production Credit and in 1958 the office moved to Stanton, and she worked for PCA until the Stanton office closed in 1988. Mary then went to work at Stanton National Bank until her retirement in 1997. She then worked in the office and served on the Nettie Millhollon Educational Trust Board of Directors until she resigned.
She was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church Stanton from age 12 in 1946 until her death. As a dedicated member of FBC she served in many areas – Sunday School clerk and as chairman of the Bereavement committee that provided meals/ food to many grieving families for over 30 years. She was also active in several areas for Stanton and was a member of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors for many years. She was also the last surviving original board member of the Martin County Senior Citizens Foundation, which was founded 34 years ago in 1992, and she had just recently attended a board meeting in March.
Mary Belle and Donald Benjamin Keaton were married on April 5, 1957 and were married for 34 years before his death in December 1991. She was also preceded in death by her parents, a brother David S. Johnson and sister-in-law Oma Clay (Dutchie) Johnson.
She is survived by her brother Albert “PeeWee” Johnson sister Nancy Swink (Bill) and nephews Ulen North, Jr. and Brent Swink all of Stanton; Brian Johnson of Abilene, nieces – Sarah (Saunders) Graves of Abilene and Linda (Saunders) Petree of Indianapolis, and brother-in-law Bernie Keaton and Patsy (Reed) of Midland, and numerous cousins and great nieces & nephews.
The family would like to offer a special thank you for years of special care and love from the Martin County Clinic – Robin Alvarado and Jana Cook, Martin County Home Health – Bailie, Melinda and Amanda; special friends Angie Foster, Dyan Hale, Terri Anderson and Bonnie Franklin, and the care from her very special caregivers from Faithful Journey Home Care the past several months – Kristy Alanis and Daphne Kershell, and recently Heart to Heart Hospice. A special thank you to her nephew Brent Swink for his years of faithful and dedicated love and care.
Pallbearers were David Anderson, Jarrell Hedrick, Allen Lucas, Jordan Hale, Dennis Simpson, and Heath North. Honorary Pallbearers were Terry Franklin, Ulen North Jr, Mike Harris, Jeff Smith and Danny Scheffel.
Memorials may be made to Martin County Senior Citizens, PO Box 1233-Stanton, TX 79782, First Baptist Church, PO Box 1168-Stanton or Cal Farley’s Boy Ranch, PO Box 1890-Amarillo, TX 79105.
Arrangements were under the direction of Gilbreath Funeral Home of Stanton. Online condolences may be made at www.npwelch.com.