Bruce Wayne Keel

Bruce Keel, 71, of Piedmont, Missouri, passed away on February 3, 2025, at St. Louis University Hospital due to complications from injuries sustained in a single-vehicle auto accident the morning of January 31st. He went peacefully, surrounded by his family.

Bruce was born on July 30, 1953, to Bill and Joyce Keel, he grew up in Piedmont, Missouri, the town he would call home all his life. Bruce graduated from Clearwater High School, where he enjoyed recognition as a talented basketball player. He went on to have a brief but illustrious career at Southeast Missouri State University where he studied – among other things – probably his deepest passions: shenanigans and tomfoolery. He was a man of various trades, before running into a tenacious cheerleader from nearby Van Buren, who he remembered from his high school glory days. Her name was Cathy. Bruce and Cathy married on Christmas Eve, 1977, and together had 2 children, Shanna Lee and Trenton Wayne.

Bruce was a devoted husband and father, the joint responsibilities of which pushed him to start his own insurance agency. He realized success in most all endeavors to which he seriously applied himself. By the time of his retirement, he was regularly among the top selling agents in the nation. But in his later years, he was content in the simple pastimes of cruising country roads, hunting, spending time with family and friends, and golf.

He leaves behind his wife, Cathy, his children, Shanna Surratt with her husband Rick Surratt of Cape Girardeau, and Trenton Keel with his wife Kasey Keel of Bristol, Virigina, and his many grandchildren, Shannon, Corrine, Richard, Everett, Sawyer, and Harrison. He is the first to pass away in his family leaving behind his siblings Blane Keel, Brenda Hill, Beth Cox and Brandon Keel.

Visitation was held Friday, February 7, 2025, from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont, MO. Funeral followed at 2:00 pm, also at funeral home chapel. Burial was at Masonic Cemetery at Piedmont. Pastors Callum Reavey and Tad Kruithoff ministered to the family and Trenton Keel, Rick Surratt, Jake Eaton, Andrew Moss, Roger Bishop and Dustin Campbell served as pallbearers. Family requests no flowers but if any would like to you can make a donation to Samaritan's Purse (www.samaritanspurse.org) or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (www.stjude.org) in Bruce's memory. Online condolences can be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com

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