Dawn Lynn Mantele Keenan of Huntsville, AL, passed away on March 6, 2025, at the age of 82. She was born in Wichita, KS, on December 21, 1942, as an only child to Philip Wilhelm Mantele and Mildred Leona Shane Mantele.

A proud graduate of Kansas State University with a degree in Retail, Dawn spent the early years of her marriage devoted to raising her four children. In the 1980s, she returned to the workforce, first in the retail field, then as the office manager at Dr. John Barnes DMD, and finally at the Huntsville Veterans Administration Clinic, where she retired in 2006.

Dawn's life was defined by her remarkable generosity and unwavering commitment to helping others. She volunteered her entire adult life wherever she found a place, or person, that had a need. Her daughters remember visiting nursing homes when they were very young and soon realized how giving their mother was. Throughout her life, her children saw and experienced her heart for service, whether it was volunteering for church functions, delivering Meals on Wheels, assisting at the Free Clinic, to helping people she met along the way with groceries, rides to the store, work, or doctor appointments, or simply providing companionship in the hospital or at home. Dawn never hesitated to lend a hand. She also loved donating to charitable causes. Even as dementia took away her words and monetary knowledge, her spirit of giving remained. She enjoyed going through her mail and would ask her daughter to continue her charitable donations by saying, "Let's be good to this one."

Dawn also cherished travel and adventure, journeying with family and friends to destinations such as Hawaii, Alaska, Scotland, and a lifelong bucket list item to see the animals on safari in Africa. She loved experiencing the world and was always up for the next trip. She also enjoyed weekly movies at the theater, supporting as many of her grandchildren's activities as she could, and rescuing dogs and cats, including senior dogs, giving them love for their final years. In her downtime, she was an avid reader, enjoyed crocheting, and loved playing games on her iPad. She was a true homebody at heart, finding joy in the simple pleasures of life.

Dawn was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her children, Kristen (Bill) Pfeiffer of Dellrose, TN, Stephanie Wilburn of Huntsville, AL, Timothy Keenan of Huntsville, AL, and Erin (Cory) Gillies of Sandy, UT. She is also survived by her beloved grandchildren, Jake (Michelle) Pfeiffer, Conrad (Katherine) Pfeiffer, Gately Pfeiffer, Joey Wilburn, Sam (Erika) Wilburn, Meagan Wilburn, Christian Gillies, and Juan Gillies; as well as great-grandchildren, Leo Pfeiffer, Charlie Pfeiffer, Annie Pfeiffer, Ayla Wilburn, and Nicholas Wilburn. Many nieces and nephews also survive.

*The family will receive friends  April 7th from 10:00 - 11:00 AM at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Huntsville, followed by funeral mass at 11:00. Inurnment after mass will be at the columbarium.

In honoring Dawn's life, her family asks that you remember her not only for her unwavering kindness and love but also for her lifelong dedication to making the world a better place for everyone around her. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in their mother's memory to St. Jude Children's Hospital (https://www.stjude.org/donate) or A New Leash on Life ( https://anewleash.org/donate/) .

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