Elizabeth "Liz" Grace Harvey Keyes

Elizabeth Grace Harvey Keyes, RN, BSN took her final breath at home in Clinton, S.C., Saturday, November 9, 2024. 

 She was known as Liz by her friends, Lizzie by her beloved husband, and “the British nurse” by most of Laurens County. 

 She began her nursing career in 1981 as a student of the Princess Alexandra School of Nursing in London, England. She graduated as a registered nurse in 1984, and in 1985 decided to attend the Norfolk and Norwich School of Midwifery in London, where she found her love for working with new mothers and babies. 

 While in midwifery school, Liz had dreams of traveling to America, so she took a detour from her life in England the summer of 1985. She landed a job as an infirmary nurse at an all-boys summer camp in Zirconia, North Carolina called Falling Creek Camp. It was there her life changed forever after meeting one of the camp counselors, Sanford “Skeet” Keyes, who became her husband of 38 years. 

 When Liz and Skeet moved to Clinton, S.C., together, her first nursing job in the states began in 1990 at Laurens County Hospital. She found her passion as a Labor and Delivery nurse and a mother herself after welcoming her first child there in 1991. 

 Her career in nursing took her to many places, like the Martha Franks Retirement Center, the Laurens County Wound Center, and the Nurse Family Partnership of Prisma Health - where she worked with new mothers and provided them with resources, knowledge, and love. 

 The Women’s Center of Laurens County Hospital L&D unit was her true calling, though. Liz helped deliver over 500 babies during her lifetime. 

 Outside of her nursing career Liz would spend her time being proud of her children, Sophie and Kit. She kept the Hallmark Channel on daily, found peace in the garden watering her flowers, filled bird feeders all the way up to the top, drank her tea with milk and no sugar, always had a quarter in her pocket ready to explore the cheese aisle of Aldi, was known for her “emergency chocolate” stash, and expressed her love by giving gifts. She made sure to never let any bride she knew walk down the aisle without a sixpence in her shoe! 

 She retired from nursing in 2022 when she was diagnosed with Stage III C endometrial cancer. Liz remained determined in between 12 rounds of chemotherapy, 38 rounds of radiation, and three surgeries as she did attempt to go back to work multiple times over the last two years. 

 Liz was able to enjoy the last four months of her life with her family by her side because of the caring, dedicated staff of Laurens County Hospice. Her sisters Ruth and Maggie were able to join her from England and hug her one last time. 

 Liz is survived by her husband, Skeet Keyes; son, Dr. Oscar “Kit” Keyes and his fiancée Dr. Kali Esancy; her daughter, Sophie Keyes Hoge and her husband, Michal Hoge; her sister Maggie Lucas (Isaac Lucas); her sister Ruth Bolitho (Andrew, Alice, and William Bolitho); her brother Christopher Harvey (Lesley, Matt, and Joh Harvey, Monty, Rory, and Laura); her mother and angel, Audrey Harvey; and all of the babies she brought into this world. 

Liz’s wishes were to have a private family service. 

 In lieu of flowers, Liz would like to provide new mothers with better opportunities. Prior to her death, she asked for friends and family to donate to the Nurse Family Partnership of South Carolina in her memory at https://giving.nursefamilypartnership.org.

Gray Funeral Home of Clinton is assisting the Keyes family with services.