AFTON, Okla. — James Graydon “Jim” Keath, 56, of Afton, Oklahoma, formerly of Erie, passed away Monday, March 17, 2025, at his home in Afton, Oklahoma.
A celebration of life service will be at 10 a.m. Monday, March 24, at the Thayer Christian Church, 8495 Dorn Road, Thayer, with Pastor Gene Hewitt officiating. Burial will follow at 2 p.m. at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Elk City under the direction of the Potts Chapel.
Friends may call from 2 to 6 p.m. on Sunday, March 23, at the Wickham Family Funeral Home, 500 N. Forest Ave., in Chanute, where family will greet friends from 4 to 6 p.m.
Keath was born July 12, 1968, in Independence to James R. and Janice M. (Jones) Keath. He grew up in Fredonia and graduated from Fredonia High School in 1986. He attended Labette Community College. He went to work for the Independence EMT service for three years and later became an EMT instructor.
In 1989, he moved to Erie and went to work for the Neosho County Sheriff’s Office. There he worked as deputy, detective and the undersheriff until he was appointed sheriff in 1998; he was the youngest sheriff in Kansas. Keath served Neosho County as sheriff until his retirement in 2021. After his retirement, he went to work for Reece Nichols Real Estate, as well as becoming an auctioneer in 2021.
Survivors include his parents, James and Janice Keath of Fredonia; a brother John Keath and his wife, Ashley, of Sallisaw, Oklahoma; nephews, Kyle Keath and wife Haley of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Fysher Armstrong and Beau Bennett of Sallisaw, Oklahoma; a niece, Kelsi Keath of Neodesha; two great-nieces, Klara Keath and Ava Keath; and a great-nephew, Kohen Keath of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Norman and Cynthia Keath and Graydon and Edith Jones.
