Goldie Keesee

Goldie Arnn Keesee passed away quietly on December 13, 2019, at the age of 103. Born in Eden, North Carolina on September 23, 1916, she was the second child and first daughter of the late George Shady Barnes and Ella Gunter Barnes.      Goldie graduated from Averett University with an Associate’s Degree and from Longwood University with a B.S. in elementary education. She taught in Danville and Pittsylvania County. She was an active member of many organizations including the American Legion Auxiliary, Garden Club of Gretna, Order of the Eastern Star, and Delta Kappa Gamma. Additionally, she served as a counselor at Girls’ State in the 1950’s and 1960’s, and as a volunteer for Hospice while she was living in Gretna, Virginia. A former Deacon in the Gretna Baptist Church and member of Chatham Baptist Church, she was currently a member of West Main Baptist Church in Danville. Goldie loved her profession of teaching children, working in her flower garden, and traveling, having visited most of the states and many countries abroad.      She was first married to Bernard Joseph Arnn, who was killed in Germany in December 1944 in WWII. Goldie was married a second time in 1966 to James William Keesee of Gretna, who died in 2000. She was also predeceased by three brothers, Eldrin Barnes, Ezra Barnes, and Paul Barnes, and two sisters, Sylvia Joyce and Crystal Rhodes.      Survivors include a daughter, Bernadine Arnn Hayes, and husband, Jay Hayes, of Danville; two granddaughters, Emily Hayes Barbacci, and husband, Jeff Barbacci, of Tallahassee, Florida, and Julia Hayes Fretwell, and husband, Matthew Fretwell, of Virginia Beach, Virginia. She is also survived by two brothers, James Barnes, of Martinsville, Virginia, and Jay Barnes, and wife Eunice, of Bedford, Virginia. Survivors also include three great-grandchildren, Dominic Barbacci and Anthony Barbacci, of Tallahassee, Florida, and Caroline Fretwell of Virginia Beach, Virginia; and two step-great grandchildren, Kathleen Fretwell of Southern Shores, North Carolina and Hailey Fretwell of Charlotte, North Carolina.      A celebration of Goldie’s life will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 15, 2019 at Townes Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Drew Herring officiating. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 1:00 p.m. until 1:45 p.m. At other times, the family will be at the Hayes residence, 245 Linden Drive, Danville, Virginia 24541. A private burial will follow at Liberty Baptist Church in Callands, Virginia.      In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to West Main Baptist Church, 450 West Main Street, Danville, Virginia 24541 or to The Gideons International, P.O. Box 3371, Danville, Virginia 24543.      The family wishes to thank the staff at Roman Eagle for the loving and compassionate care provided for Goldie during her time there.