Keitha "Kay" Mae Caudle

Keitha Mae Caudle, 85, of Citrus Heights, California, passed away peacefully on January 8, 2026. She was born on December 16, 1940, in Davis, Oklahoma. During her middle school years, her family moved to Sacramento, California, where she would build a life filled with love, hard work, and devotion to family.

Keitha attended El Camino High School and was a member of the Church of Christ, where she met the love of her life, James Norman Caudle. They shared 66 wonderful years of marriage together.

Keitha is survived by her beloved husband, James; her two children, Mary Kay Lewandowski (Jeff) and Terry Lynn Caudle (Debbie); and her five grandchildren: Bobby Ward Caudle (Krista), Amanda Lynn Lawson, James Norman Caudle (Sarah), Chelsea Kaye Lewandowski (Gary), and Hannah Marie Lewandowski. She was also a proud great-grandmother to Layne, Bodhi, Hayden, Charlie and Dylan.

Throughout her life, Keitha embraced many careers. She worked for the State of California at the DMV, where she became known as a “shorthand queen.” She was also a real estate agent and broker, a laundromat and dry-cleaning business owner, and later ran a dry-cleaning delivery route. Keitha loved her customers and was known for her warm personality and great sense of humor. Many of her grandchildren experienced life on the route with her at one time or another—something she always loved to talk about, proudly bragging about her grandchildren whenever she could.

Keitha found immense joy in attending her grandchildren’s soccer games and loved watching each of them play. She and her husband also shared a deep love of travel, embarking on long trips together every five weeks for many years, exploring destinations around the world. She especially enjoyed hiking in Zion National Park and the Point Reyes mountains near the ocean.

Keitha’s love, laughter, and memories will live on through the lives of her family and the generations to come.