Nancy Jean Keithley, 84, passed away on August 29, 2026, in Dickinson, North Dakota, leaving behind a life defined by family, friendship, adventure, determination, and an unmistakable love of having fun. There will be a Informal Gathering of Family & Friends from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at Ladbury Funeral Service, Dickinson.
Nancy was born August 15, 1942, in St. Cloud, Minnesota, to Gene A. Lewis and Faith (Neubauer) Pelletier. From an early age, Nancy was energetic, athletic, competitive, and never particularly interested in being told there was something she couldn’t do. At a time when opportunities for girls in sports were limited, Nancy played baseball on the boys’ team. That same competitive spirit stayed with her throughout her life.
Nancy attended Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado, where she met Clifford “Cliff” Keithley, originally from Sedan, Kansas. Nancy and Cliff were married on June 6, 1961, in Bismarck, North Dakota, and had one son, Terry Wayne. Together they built a life filled with family, hard work, community involvement, adventure and plenty of fun.
Nancy and Cliff eventually made their home in Dickinson, North Dakota, where they owned and operated Scenic Sign Company together for 41 years. Through their business and many years in Dickinson, they became deeply rooted in the community.
Nancy was an exceptionally talented athlete throughout her life. She became an accomplished golfer and competed in and won numerous tournaments over the years. Nancy and Cliff were also longtime members of Dickinson’s golfing community and were part of the first group to play Heart River Golf Course when it expanded to 18 holes in the early 1980s. Nancy was such a strong golfer that when she joined the men, she wasn’t afraid to play right alongside them—from the men’s tees. She was also a talented skier and taught her grandchildren how to ski, passing along her love of the sport to her family. Bowling leagues, golf tournaments, skiing and, eventually, competitive shuffleboard were all part of a life that rarely involved sitting still for very long.
Nancy and Cliff also loved to dance. They would dress up, go out together and spend evenings on the dance floor. That love of dancing followed them to Arizona, where they initially spent their winters before eventually making it their full-time home. They made wonderful friendships there and enjoyed many evenings ballroom dancing together.
After Cliff’s passing, Nancy’s love of dancing—and of life—never left her. She continued to go out, spend time with friends and dance. Even in her later years, Nancy could be found dancing at the Elks Club and other favorite spots as many as six nights a week. Retirement certainly didn’t mean slowing down, and Nancy found yet another sport to conquer: shuffleboard. True to form, she didn’t just play—she competed and won tournaments.
But as impressive as Nancy’s accomplishments were, the center of her life was always her family.
She absolutely adored her only and dear son, Terry, and cherished her daughter-in-law, Michele, with whom she shared a close and special relationship. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were among the greatest joys of her life. Nancy was the kind of grandmother who didn’t simply watch childhood happen from the sidelines—she joined in.
There were visits to Disneyland, where Nancy loved Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy and wasn’t about to let the younger generations have all the fun. She rode the roller coasters—the fast ones, the wild ones and even the ones that went upside down. There were annual outings to the carnival when it came to town, trips to the Donut Hole, days on the ski slopes and countless other adventures and memories. If there was somewhere fun to go or something fun to do, Nancy was ready.
And then there was ice cream.
Nancy absolutely loved ice cream. In Nancy’s world, there was really no such thing as too much ice cream, and breakfast, lunch or dinner were all perfectly acceptable occasions for it. She was even happy to report that her doctor had assured her ice cream was good for her—a medical opinion she was more than willing to follow.
Nancy was strong and competitive, but also incredibly kind, honest, loving and full of life. She worked hard. She played hard. She traveled. She danced. She golfed. She skied. She laughed. And most importantly, she loved her family fiercely.
Nancy is survived by her only son, Terry Wayne (Michele) Keithley of Dickinson; her grandchildren, Kelly (Keithley) Gillen and her husband, Dan, Kristy (Keithley) Halverson and her husband, Rhett, and Mark Keithley and his wife, Kara, all of Dickinson; and her beloved great-grandchildren, Halle Keithley and Thomas Gillen, Colten, Karlee, Chase and Trey Halverson, and Hadley and Grayson Keithley, all of Dickinson.
She is also survived by her brother, Kim Lewis; her sisters, Cindy Collett and her husband, Doyle, of San Jose, California, and Karen Kochendorfer Acker and her husband, Terry, of Boise, Idaho; many beloved nieces and nephews; along with extended family, dear friends and the many people whose lives she touched throughout her 84 years.
Nancy was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Cliff Keithley; her parents, Gene A. Lewis and Faith (Neubauer) Pelletier Kochendorfer; her brothers, Dick Lewis and Knute Lewis; and her sister, Peggy (Lewis) Snell; and sister-in-law, Georgia Lewis.
Nancy was a remarkable woman who packed an extraordinary amount of living into 84 years. Those who loved her will remember her strength and competitive spirit, her kindness and honesty, her devotion to her family, her willingness to try almost anything, and the energy that seemed to follow her wherever she went.
Her life was one worth celebrating—and Nancy certainly knew how to celebrate life.
And in Nancy’s honor, always save room for one more scoop of ice cream.
