Living during the Depression was difficult for her family, but her mother (Hazel) had a way of making things adventurous and fun. There was always laughter in the home. As a young lady, her brother George talked her into moving to Hollywood, where he was a stuntman. While in Hollywood, she had many jobs, but her favorite was being a hand model and working at the famous Polar Palace. Life in Hollywood during that era meant she was friends with many movie stars. John Wayne, Gene Autry, Roy Rogers, Bette Davis, Judy Garland, and Hedy Lamarr were her favorites.
Life changed when World War II started. She answered an ad in the Hollywood newspaper announcing the hiring of women for work at the Vega Lockheed Aircraft factory in Burbank, California. After passing the mechanical aptitude test, the personal evaluation interview, and the physical exam, she began her “Rosie the Riveter” career. She quickly moved up as a final assembly inspector and received the Army and Navy Production “E” Award. On the sassy note, she was named “Sweetheart of Vega.”
The day the war ended, she met her husband. They married a month later and moved to Galveston, Texas, where he was stationed. Her nieces fondly remembered her Hollywood style, watching closely as she manicured her nails and applied her lipstick. They had never seen a lip brush before. The couple later had three children. While taking care of her family, she attended Lamar State College of Technology.
After the children were grown and married, she decided to move to Flagstaff, Arizona, where she opened two employment agencies—one in Flagstaff and the other in Palm Springs, California. After several years, she missed her family and decided to retire and move back to Beaumont.
During her retirement, she didn’t stop her adventures. She loved gardening, painting landscapes on canvas, and carpentry. In her later years, her passion was racquetball, and she even played in the Senior Olympics. She traveled all over the U.S., winning gold medals. She loved her church family at the North End Baptist but complained that she was the only one left in her Sunday School class. They kept moving her to younger classes. She always said that when you live as long as she did, you have to make younger friends.
Her young friend Yolanda became like another daughter to her. She loved her as her own family. She lived in her own home until six months ago, when she began her last journey. She moved to the Mill Creek facility, where she continued to meet younger friends and enjoy life.
The Keene family will always be thankful for the support they gave her along with Amedisys Hospice.
A Gathering of Friends and Family will be held from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Forest Lawn Funeral Home in Beaumont.
A Celebration Graveside of Beth's Life will begin at 2:00 pm., on Monday, November 24, 2025 in the Garden of Rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Beaumont.
Beth was preceded in death by her parents, Bryan and Hazel Havens, son Gordon Eugene Keene, and brother George Thomas Havens.
Beth is survived by her daughter Kathryne Colligan and her husband Larry of Lumberton, son Gary Keene and his wife Nancy of Tomball, grandchildren Chad Colligan of Lumberton, Kirk Colligan and his wife Amanda of Little Elm, TX., Chris Keene of Tomball, Jason Keene of Tomball, Brad and Laura Keene of Tomball, great grandchildren Jameson Colligan, Baylor Keene, Tyson Keene, Caroline Keene, Wyatt Keene, Olivia Keene, and Hudson Keene.
