Dorothy M Edwards-Keels

Affectionately described by her children and grandchildren as loving, caring, independent, supportive, feisty, and cheerful, Dorothy Mae Edwards Keels was peacefully called to heaven at the age of 81 on March 1, 2025, in the comfort of her home in Bowie, Maryland. She was born on November 22, 1943, in Harleyville, South Carolina, as one of eleven children (seven daughters and four sons) to the late James David Edwards and Anna Bell Edwards.

Dorothy graduated from Kennedy High School, Harleyville, South Carolina in 1962. Later, she and her sister Emma moved to Washington, DC, where they stayed with their Uncle Sam and Aunt Louise until they saved enough money to move into their own apartment.

Dorothy accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior as a teenager and joined Bethlehem Baptist Church in South Carolina. After moving to Washington, DC, she became a member of Brookland Union Baptist Church in the late 1960s, where she served on the Educational Program Committee. She deeply cherished her church family.

Dorothy was blessed with two children, her daughter Carol Edwards and her son Herbert (Herb) Keels III. Several years later, she met her one true love, William (Willie) Holland. Dorothy and Willie remained devoted to each other for 33 years.

Dorothy began working at a young age, helping her mother with sharecropping. After moving to Washington, DC, she worked at Hot Shots Cafe before beginning her career with the Federal Government. She started at the Department of the Navy as a Military Personnel Examiner on March 28, 1973 and retired on July 23, 1998.

In her free time, Dorothy enjoyed cooking and baking, especially making birthday cakes for her grandchildren. She also enjoyed shopping trips with her sister Emma and attending church, always wearing her beautiful and bold hats. She loved traveling on cruises with her dear friend Catherine, attending plays, watching westerns and soap operas, especially The Young and the Restless, and reading books and magazines. She cherished her dates with the love of her life, Willie, and, most of all, spending time with her family. Dorothy always put her children and grandchildren first, touching the lives of everyone who knew her. She was a devoted, loving, and generous mother and grandmother.

Dorothy was predeceased by her father, James David Edwards; her mother, Anna Bell Young Edwards; her sister, Emma Lee Daniel; her brother, Morris Edwards; her grandson, Victor Jonas, Jr.; and her granddaughter, Herbrea Keels.

She leaves behind cherished memories with her beloved William Holland; her daughter, Carol Edwards; her son, Herbert Keels III (Monica); eight grandchildren: Herbert Keels IV (Kimberly), Allanté Keels (Morgan), Victoria Jonas, Micah Keels, Paige Harris, Nicole Keels, Nicholas Keels, and Jasmine Keels; her great-grandchildren; five sisters: Daisy Butler, Priscilla Edwards, Deloris Harris, Ida Reid, and Josephine Johnson; three brothers: Kary Edwards, Roger Edwards, and Michael Edwards; one aunt Louise Young; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Dorothy will be deeply missed and will live in our hearts forever.