Lura Mae Vernon was born July 16, 1938, in the town of Gregory, SD to Ferdinand and Joyce (Christensen) Keith. "Lari", as she is known to friends and family, passed away on October 15, 2015.

As a young girl, she ran track and loved to ice skate. She dreamed of becoming a stewardess and attended airline school in Omaha, NE only to learn that, at 6', she was too tall. She took a Navy entrance exam for government civil service and moved to Washington, DC where she worked as a logistician for the Naval Sea Systems Command. She moved to Waldorf, Maryland and lived there for over 30 years, making many good friends. In 1993, after 38 years with NAVSEA, she returned to her home state of South Dakota where she lived in the log cabin that she and her brothers built in the Northern Black Hills. She enjoyed playing cards and slot machines, reading, watching old westerns, sitting on her cabin deck enjoying the wildlife and rugged scenery of the Black Hills and visiting with her neighbors, friends, and family.

Lari is survived by her daughter, Patty Vernon-Rusher, son-in-law Jeff Rusher, brothers, Dean Keith (wife Gladys) and Dan Keith (wife Joyce), and nieces and nephews, Greg Keith, Caroline Downs, Kelly Keith, and Britt Keith. She was pre-deceased by her parents and sister Marque.

A celebration of life event is being planned by the family.