Eileen Marie (Willis) Keeffer, 81, of Stockton Illinois passed away at FHN hospital on Saturday, August 7, 2021, surrounded by loved ones. Eileen was born on March 1, 1940 in Freeport, Illinois to Lowell and Helen (Brocious) Willis. Eileen's childhood was spent growing up with her two siblings, whom she holds very dear, Shirley (Tom) Leitzen and Larry (Ann) Willis on a farm in Willow. She was an active member in 4H and loved to show cattle. She attended grade school in a one-room school house in Willow, and later graduated from Stockton High School in 1958.

Eileen married her high school sweetheart, Bill  Keeffer, on August 12, 1961. Together they created a wonderful life, raising three children, Teresa (Jim) Blair of Stockton, Nancy (Joey) Hunziker of Ridott, and Steve (Janelle) Keeffer of Galena. Eileen was always extremely proud of the hard work they put into their home. They built their own house, had a beautiful yard full of flowers and trees, and a large garden. She enjoyed watching the flowers bloom and canning and preserving food from their gardens. Her children and Bill were her life, and they were a very close family making memories at home and traveling together on family trips.

Eileen worked in healthcare from 1959-2004, with much of her career as a LPN at Lena Continental Manor, and later as a pharmacy tech at the Lena Drug Store. She had a passion for taking care of others that was evident not only in her nursing career, but to her family and friends. She devoted her life to helping others, always willing to lend a helping hand or to volunteer to help in her community. She was a 4H leader for the Triple S 4H club, made food and pies for the Willow Folk Festival for many years, and helped with food for functions at the Holy Cross Catholic Church in Stockton, of which she was a member.

Later in life, she was blessed with eight grandchildren, Rachael (Lonny) Nielsen, Ben (Julia) Blair, Tristan (Jessica) Gallagher, Cody (Michelle) Gallagher, Erin Keeffer, Bridgett Hunziker, Elyse Keeffer, and Gavin Hunziker. She was very involved with her grandchildren, passing on the love for 4H and country life by teaching them to bake, sew, garden, how to raise different animals, and to do many other crafty projects. She was also very proud to be the great grandmother to Anna Blair and Keegan Gallagher.

Eileen was proceeded in death by her husband Bill, her parents Lowell and Helen Willis, her in-laws Chet and Mildred Keeffer, and her brother Larry Willis. She will be dearly missed and will be remembered most for her generosity, her gift of the gab and talking on the phone for hours on end, her sense of humor, her love for flowers and animals, her continual worry and concern about people's well-being, and most of all her love for her family.

Funeral mass will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, August 13, 2021 at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Stockton, IL.

A visitation will be from 10:00 AM until time of services at the church on Friday, August 13, 2021.

Father Michael Morrissey will officiate the services.

Burial will be at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Freeport, IL.

A memorial has been established in her memory.