Troy Keeton

Troy Rufus Keeton, age 89, of Arkadelphia went to be with his Lord and Savior on Thursday, August 27, 2026. He was born December 7, 1936, in Old DeRoche, Arkansas, to the late Arthur Keeton and Ruby Hartsell Keeton. His life was one deeply rooted in faith, family, and a belief that God’s hand was guiding him along the way.

Troy was a longtime, faithful member of Faith Missionary Baptist Church, where he also served as a deacon. He proudly served his country in the United States Navy and was a veteran of the Korean War. Following his military service, Troy attended automobile school in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1961, he moved his family to Arkadelphia, where he began a long career in the automobile business working for T.O. Shepherd. In 1965, he opened Troy Keeton Garage on Clay Street. On March 1, 1997, his garage was destroyed by the devastating tornado that struck Arkadelphia. Rather than bringing his career to an end, Troy rebuilt his business near his home in the Mt. Zion community and expanded his services to include a wrecker service. He continued serving the community through Keeton Garage and Wrecker Service until his retirement in January 2019.

While these milestones tell much of what Troy did during his life, they do not fully tell the story of the man he was. Troy left his family something especially meaningful – his own words. In them, he shared the story of his faith, his life, and how he met the woman who would become his wife and remain by his side for nearly seven decades.

“I was born the second time when I was 11 years old during a revival meeting at DeRoche. I knew the Lord saved me, but it was several years later before I really started serving Him. What a waste of time! Young people, start serving Him now, for that is all that matters.

“I have had a very blessed life. God gave me a precious wife and four precious children.

“To show one example of how God directed my life, I met my wife while I was in the U.S. Navy, stationed at Millington Naval Air Station in Memphis, Tennessee. Her grandparents were raising her. Her mother had died, and her daddy had remarried and was living in Memphis. She happened to be visiting him and was at the fairgrounds when a buddy of mine met her. He didn’t have a car and I did, so he made a date with her and one for me.

“I liked what I saw in her and never asked him to go again!

“Here is the next step where God came in. It turned out she was from Glen Rose, Arkansas, and a member of Fairplay Missionary Baptist Church. I was from Bismarck and a member of DeRoche Missionary Baptist Church. Is that a coincidence, or was God directing? You decide.”

Troy’s own words perhaps say it best: he considered himself blessed. His love for his wife and children and, above all, his faith in God were at the center of the life he lived. The story he leaves behind is not simply one of the years he lived, but of a man who looked back over those years and could see God’s direction throughout them.

Troy married the love of his life, Voye Jean Webb, on January 26, 1957, in Hernando, Mississippi. Together, they shared 69 blessed years of marriage and were blessed with four precious children. He is survived by his beloved wife, Jean, and their children: Rickey Keeton (Becky), Pam Ligon (David), Tammy Clark, and Melinda Smith (Michael); grandchildren, Alicia Ledbetter (Justin), Blake Keeton (Britanni), Kelli Keeton, Rachel Crites (Shane Beard), Jordan Crites, Erica Clark (Jared), Dylan Clark, and Natalie Dominguez (Gavin); great-grandchildren, Jaxon, Emma, Baylor, Beckhette, Makayla, Bella, Harper, Kinley, Christine, Thomas and Dalton; sisters, Estene Rogers Dolin and Sharon Rachinski (Myron) along with many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Ruby Keeton; stepfather, Henry Adcock; sisters, Marie Holder and Carolyn Smith; brother, Gary Adcock and son-in-law, Tommy Clark.

The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to Casey Lea with Hospice Home Care for the compassion, kindness, and exceptional care she provided during this time. Her support and dedication were deeply appreciated and will always be remembered.

Funeral service was held Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at Faith Missionary Baptist in Arkadelphia with Brother Robbie Horne officiating. Interment followed at Rest Haven Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers were Bill Wright, Tim Patterson, David Gardner, Justin Ledbetter, Jaxon Ledbetter and David Ligon. Honorary Pallbearers were Benny Fite, Chuck Burrow, Bill Chaffin, Sam Hill, and Randy Fulmer.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Humane Society of Clark County: http://www.humane societyofclarkcounty.com

Funeral arrangements were under the direction of Roller Funeral Homes.