Elva was born on December 29, 1968 in Indianapolis, Indiana to Harvey and Evelyn Pecolia Mills Keaton. As a child, Elva had a nickname of Bapse. She engaged at an early age with sports and music, getting into dance then gymnastics becoming a USGF Class 1 gymnast before she got too tall to continue in gymnastics at then 5ft10in and got into track and filed in high school. Elva also was a classically trained pianist who played at Sunday School and sometimes church at Eastside Baptist Church, while growing up and did piano recitals and other music competitions. She was the 1986 high school valedictorian at Indianapolis Howe HS, state runner up in long jump at state meet her senior year after placing in state track meet throughout high school in long jump, and the 4x100 and 4x400 relays. Elva was multiple times city champion in long jump and other track events, 1986 county athlete of the year, 1986 academic all-state in basketball, and winner of CYO/Penrod Arts piano competitions as a classical pianist. Elva went to Eastside Baptist Church growing up, and sometimes Unity Church and attended Lutheran Church services while she lived in Chicago from @2000-2014.
Elva attended college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 1986-1990 where she was on the track and field team competing in the Big 10 in long jump and triple jump, and also was student representative to the Athletic Board and Economics Department Board. Elva was in Phi Eta Sigma academic honor society, and earned a Bachelors degree in Economics. After college, Elva earned graduate degrees in human services and school psychology from Indiana University and Indiana State University, and a doctorate degree from Capella University in Human Services Psychology. Elva worked in the education testing field while working on and after completing her graduate degrees in the Chicago area, which is where she completed her school psychology internship thru Beacon Therapeutic Schools and Services on the southside of Chicago.
After the death of her father, retired IPS teacher Harvey Keaton in November 2013, Elva returned home to Indianapolis in 2014 to be close to family. Elva continued to work in education testing design part-time while taking on property management duties in a family business and caring for disabled family members. Elva enjoyed travel, was a foodie, and had a passion for her family and animal rescue, rescuing and caring for 5 family cats. Elva became pet Mom to adopted cat, Speedway.
Elva became progressively ill last fall as a fibroid she'd had for @7 years started to grow quickly into a tumor. She had surgery to remove the growing fibroid tumor in February 2022 which turned out to be a stage 4 leiomyosarcoma cancer tumor that was undifferentiated hence near impossible to treat. Leiomyosarcoma is a rare very aggressive uterine sarcoma cancer. Elva fought the cancer as best she could but it returned quickly and aggressively in April 2022. Elva passed due to the rapid spread of the cancer at Methodist Hospital on April 21, 2022 just as hospice was coming to bring her home near the end.
Elva is a trailblazer who did many firsts-- first black/ African-American female county athlete of the year, valedictorian at her high school and is beloved by many and has inspired many. Elva is survived by her mother, retired IPS teacher Evelyn Mills Keaton; her sister, lawyer Evelyn Lecia Keaton; the 5 family cats who she rescued - Churchcat, Rusty, Penguin, Speedway and Jean; and multiple aunts, an uncle and cousins. Elva is very much missed and loved. Her spirit and record of accomplishments endure.
1986 County Athlete of the Year
Valedictorian, class of 1986, Indianapolis Howe HS
Bachelors degree in Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1990
University of Wisconsin-Madison Women's Track Team, long jump and triple jump, 1986-1990
Masters Degree in College Student Personnel Administration- Indiana University School of Education- IUPUI
Masters Degree in School Psychology, Indiana State University, 1998
Doctoral Degree in Human Services Psychology, Capella University, @2002
Pet Mom to Speedway aka Speedy the cat and Pet Protector to
Elva is a beloved daughter, sister, friend and inspiration to many.
A gathering of family and friends for Elva will be held Saturday, June 4, 2022 from 1:00 PM to 1:30 PM. Following the gathering of family and friends will be a celebration of life service from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM at Crown Hill Funeral Home, 700 W. 38th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46208.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.crownhill.org for the Keaton family.
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