Jackson Phillip (Phil) Keathley passed away Tuesday, April 14, 2026 at his home in Brentwood, Tennessee at the age of 84 following a long illness.

Phil was born March 22nd, 1942 in Dustin, Oklaho-ma, the tenth and youngest child of Luster and Stella (Liles) Keathley, and he grew up on a farm near We-tumka and graduated from Moss High School. In 1966, upon graduation from Oklahoma State University with Bachelor and Master's degrees in Entomology, Phil joined the US Navy and was stationed in Bethesda, Maryland. It was at Wisconsin Avenue Baptist Church in Washington DC that he met the love of his life, Florence Paulsen, and they married there on September 2, 1967. Phil and Florence spent the next two years stationed in Alameda, California where Phil worked on mosquito abatement for our troops in Vietnam before moving to Athens, Georgia to begin a Ph.D. program in Entomology at the University of Georgia. Upon graduation in 1972, Phil and Florence moved to Concord, California where Phil worked for several major chemical research companies before starting his own business, Keathley Agricultural Services, in 1982. Subsequently, the Keathleys spent 26 years in Ripon, California, and 14 years in Greenbrier, Tennessee before Florence's passing in 2024. Most recently, Phil resided with his daughter, Laura, in Brentwood, TN.

Phil accepted Jesus as Lord of his life in January of 1961 and made his profession of Faith at Texas Banner Church of God in Wetumka, OK from which point he was actively involved in his local church the rest of his life, serving as Deacon and as a member of the choir. He was an active Gideon for many years distributing hundreds of Bibles throughout California and Tennessee.

Phil had a passion for gardening, was a member of Master Gardeners, and he always kept a large garden full of every kind of fruit and vegetable. He loved to sing whether as part of a choir, quartet, or as a soloist during worship services or special events. He enjoyed crossword puzzles and looked forward to the Sunday paper's puzzle. He was an avid baseball fan, always rooting for the Dodgers. He loved to spend time with his family, including his 11 wonderful grandchildren.

Phil is preceded in death by his loving parents, Luster and Stella Keathley, devoted wife Florence Keathley; brothers, Mack, Neil, Paul, Len, Lee and Alvin Keathley; sisters, Lucia Gray, Marguerite Willoughby and Melba Hawkins. He is survived by daughter, Laura (Sven) Blomberg of Brentwood, TN, and a son, Craig (Krista) Keathley of Elkton, MD; eleven grandchildren, Daniel Blomberg, Jeremy Blomberg, Jedidiah Blomberg, John Blomberg, Stella Blomberg, Elsa Blomberg, Annaliese Blomberg, Lucy Blomberg, all of Brentwood, TN; and Devon Keathley, Carrie Keathley, and Melina Keathley, all of Elkton, MD; and brother James (Charlie Belle) Keathley of Benbrook, TX.

Pallbearers are Daniel Blomberg, Jeremy Blomberg, Jedidiah Blomberg, John Blomberg, Devon Keathley and Craig Keathley.

A funeral service was held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, April 20, 2026, at Texas Banner Church of God in Wetumka, Oklahoma with Pastor Jay Hall officiating.

Interment followed at Lamar Cemetery.

Services were under the direction of Hudson-Phillips Funeral Home in Holdenville, Oklahoma.Istibus aut