Reverend Merle Otelia McKeever Keene was the eighth child born on December 4, 1943, to George W. McKeever, Sr. and Lucille Oliver McKeever, in Petersburg, VA. She was reared in the Blandford Community and was baptized at an early age at Bethany Missionary Baptist Church.

Reverend Merle was a 1963 graduate of Peabody High School. She retired from the Defense Supply Center (Bellwood).

In 1998, Reverend Merle was licensed to preach by Reverend Dr. Rosa S. Wynn, former Pastor of Bethany Missionary Baptist Church. While at Bethany, she taught Sunday School and also served on the finance committee. She received a certificate from the Evans Smith Leadership Institute and in 2004, received the All-American Award from the United States Achievement Academy. In 2006, Reverend Merle graduated Cum Laude from Virginia Union University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. While at Virginia Union, she became a charter member of The Kappa Delta Pi International Honor Society as well as The Kappa Eta Chapter.

In 2009, Reverend Merle received a Master of Divinity degree from Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology. In 2011, she was an author of her book entitled, "Sermons from the Heart".

Reverend Merle joined Metropolitan Baptist Church as an Associate Minister to train under the leadership of the late Reverend Dr. William N. Bland, Jr. She became a part of the Christian and Evangelist ministries at Metropolitan and received extensive training enabling her to be ordained.

Reverend Merle was preceded in death by her parents, George W. McKeever, Sr. and Lucille Oliver McKeever; brothers, Ronald McKeever, George McKeever (Lillie) and Deacon Lawrence McKeever (Mary); sisters, Lucille McKeever, Helen "Ms. B" Bennett and Deaconess LaVerne Smith (James); nephews, Roy McKeever, Larry McKeever, Dashawn McKeever, Mark Bennett and Danyall Steward; nieces, Janice Willis (Stanley), Diane Jackson, Latonya Grase (Anthony), Yvonne Williams and Regina McKeever Bradley; the father of her children, Conwell Richardson; father and mother-in-law, Royden and Hermine Keene; brothers-in-law, Ralph Whaley, Fredrick Keene and William Keene; and friends, Reverend Sylvia Wright and Bertha Goodrich.

Reverend Merle is survived by her devoted husband, Robert Keene, Sr.; four daughters, two devoted Adrienne Richardson and Karen Winfield (Donald), Talite Hooper and Reverend Patricia Booker (Theodore); two sons, Kevin Richardson and Robert Keene, Jr.; goddaughters, Yvonne Lewis and Victoria Sanders; grandchildren, Lorenzo Richardson, Dajuan Richardson, Sr. (Towanda), Demetris Richardson (devoted), Duronta Richardson, Ian Richardson, Kara Richardson, Robert Keene III, Rashawn Keene, Raquan Keene, Kmon Keene, Theodore Booker, Jr., Tacoria Dabney, Terrell Dabney, Terry Dabney, Keith Hooper, Jr. (Krissy) and Timara Hargraves (O'Brian); great grandchildren, De-Mar-ea Richardson, Dajuan Richardson, Jr., Ceasia Richardson and Heiress Richardson; brothers, James McKeever (Marilyn), Alvin McKeever, Sr. (Augusta), William McKeever (Deloise) and Robert McKeever (Dulceana); brother-in-law, Corentian Keene (Lilliam); god-brother, Nathan Holland (Delores); sisters, Betty Nunnally, Frances Macklin and Gloria Rose; god-sisters, Malinda Turner and Martha Pulley Epps; nieces, Robin Mason, Reverend Brenda Anderson (Tyrone), Michaele McKeever-Davis, Sherita Hall (Richard), Carolyn Daves (Willie), Barbara Anderson (Lawrence), Angela Lundy, Candace McKeever, Tasha Samurai (Jamilla), Tomika McKeever, Monica Newbie (Terrell), Latoya Harrison (Chris), Barbara Queen Jackson, Davenna Robinson, Celia McKeever, Barbara Stith, Crystal McKeever, Darlene Morgan and George Green; god-niece, Denise Canada (Bolden); nephews, Ronald George III (Gloria), Alvin McKeever Jr., Lawrence McKeever, Jr., Mack Wyche, Jr. (Sandra), Albert Nunnally (Ebony), Danyall Hicks, Derrick Dixon, Ronald Henry, Charles Bysin, Armien Thomas, George Thomas, James Smith (Virginia), Horace Smith (Terri) and Michael Willis (Kim); special cousins, Janice McKeever and family, the Pope family, the Oliver and King families of Crewe, VA and Baltimore, MD; special friends, Reverend Charlotte Bynum, Reverend June Twyman, Faye Sanders, Mary Braden, Dorothy Leech and Dancy "Bae Bae" Colbert; lifetime friends, Melinda Hamlin, Barbara Davis, Romona Gray, Mary Nelson, Delores Miles, Sylvia Lanier, Belinda Stamper, the Jones, Green and Whaley families, her Bethany Missionary Baptist Church family and the Blandford Community and a host of cousins, other relatives and friends.

Special thanks to the Staff of Nayar Hospice Care, LLC for the care shown to our loved one.

Services will be held 3:00 P.M., Saturday, May 3, 2025, at Metropolitan Baptist Church, 1021 Halifax Street, Petersburg, VA, the Rev. Lamont A. Hobbs, Pastor/eulogist, the Rev. Charlotte Bynum, officiant. The interment to follow at Wilkerson Memorial Cemetery.

J.M. Wilkerson Funeral Establishment, Inc., 102 South Avenue, Petersburg, VA, (804) 732-8911, watch the funeral services live online at www.jmwilkersonsince1874.com.