Janet R. Keith

Janet Rae Patterson Keith passed away on the evening of Tuesday, March 13th, 2018 while sleeping peacefully in her favorite chair with a good book in hand. Janet was born on October 18th, 1944 at 3646 Ravenwood Ave. in the Kennedy Heights neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio to William Henry Healey McClure and Dorothy Elizabeth McClure. By Janet's 5th birthday, she and her parents relocated to Sydney. Ohio and welcomed twins - Tom and Kathy McClure shortly after.

During her time in Sydney, Ohio, she participated in several extracurricular activities during high school, such as volleyball, softball, and choir to name a few. By her senior year, she excelled to the outstanding achievement of becoming a National Merit Scholar in English at Sydney High School. After high school, she attended Cincinnati Bible College for two years and earned an Associate's degree.

Janet later married George Patterson in 1970 and the two of them had three children. She was working in the cancer unit at Christ hospital until shortly after her third child's birth in 1972, when she began a career at Federated, where she worked for 36 years until retirement. During her time there, she worked directly for Fred Lazarus II (Lazarus Department Store) and was a close friend to the Lazarus family. She moved on to the legal department and then to her final location of store planning. To ensure that her family was supported, she would occupy part-time jobs on occasion; one of the most notable was her role as an editor for the magazine called Blackbeat where she also wrote several articles herself.

Janet was a fanatical fan of all things related to Cincinnati - the symphony (as a season ticket holder), the Bengals, Reds, Bearcats, and Muskies and what every team or activity her children and grandchildren participated in. She will definitely be heard in heaven saying "whoo-hoo" or "that's the way." She was never shy about cheering loudly for any event she was supporting. She strongly supported her family and their activities. She would always ask for the schedule and put it in her personal calendar. She knew how to use her GPS and you would look up and she would be there. She found a way to support! She always wanted her kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids that she was invested in them. She also attended Crossroads Community Church in Oakley where she tithed selflessly and volunteered her time at their outreach service center known as CityLink where she served those in need through tutoring or anything else they needed her to do.

She was preceded in death by her parents, nephew, Mike King and great-nephew, John Michael Warner. Janet is survived by her beloved Husband of 11 years, Herman Keith; daughter, Leslie Kara Patterson, son, Gregory A (Tia) Patterson, and Jeremy A Patterson, sister, Kathy (David) King, Brother, Tom McClure; grandchildres, Jonna Patterson, James Wallace, Dorian Patterson, Gregory Patterson II, and Garrett Patterson; great grandchildren, Isaiah Wallace, Kaelyn Gudger, and Kamani Gans; Step children, Herman Keith II, and David Keith; her beloved poodle, Abbie; and a host of other family members and friends.



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