Ann Keiger

Ann Williams Keiger, beloved wife of The Hon. R. Kason Keiger, died at her Lake Norman home Aug. 13, just days after their 43rd wedding anniversary. With Kason, Ann led an adventurea��filled life of scuba diving, snow skiing, water skiing, white water rafting, boating, and flying her Piper Cherokee. Ann earned her private pilot's license in 1977. She and Kason piloted their plane as far as California and throughout the Caribbean. Ann was meticulous about the editing process of the featurea��style movies they made from videos of their travels. Ann found sanctuary at her Sunset Beach vacation homes, Hoppy Toad House and the Laughing Gull. Ann's personal strength was remarkable. She was born Feb. 26, 1939 in Tabor City, NC, to Dr. William N. Williams, Sr. and Lyda Long Williams but she suffered a horrific tragedy at age four. Her parents' car collided heada��on with another while she was in the back seat. She was left an orphan who grew up poor and picked on. She focused on good grades and good behavior. At age 18, Ann was named Miss Tabor City. While attending High Point College, she married the late Gerald M. Thornton, future Director of the Forsyth County Social Services Dept. She established Winstona��Salem's Professional Legal Secretaries Assn. in the 1960s. During that time she went to work for a young lawyer, Kason Keiger. They fell in love and married in 1970. An avid reader, Ann kept stacks of books nearby. Her love of learning prompted her return to college in her 30s to earn a history degree from Wake Forest University in 1979. Later Ann was a successful real estate agent for Prudential. When her husband retired from his judgeship, they moved to Statesville into a home they built on the water at Lake Norman. Ann had come a long way from being poor and orphaned in Tabor City. Her strong will helped Ann overcome substantial obstacles. She survived ovarian cancer, heart surgery, back surgery, and a broken hip. It was a series of strokes, however, that weakened her amazing resilience. Ann will be remembered for many things, including her beautiful smile, witty intelligence, and gracious disposition. Her signature family game was "I love you the most and that's a word with a brick on it." The person who said this first "won" the game, which tonguea��anda��cheek meant that person loved the other more. In reality, everyone was the winner because the love Ann's family has for her is limitless. In addition to her adoring husband, Ann is survived by daughter DD Thornton Kenny, sona��ina��law Bill, granddaughters Avalon and Annecy; stepa��son Chris Keiger, daughtera��ina��law Trish; sister Mary Williams Smith, niece Tenna Leffel; half-sister Clara Williams Wisdom; nieces Melissa Williams Johnson and Amy Williams Bennett, daughters of Ann's late brother William N. Williams, Jr.; and granddaughter Jenna Ryals, daughter of Ann's late stepa��daughter Kimberly Keiger Oxidine. Funeral services will be conducted 1:00 p.m. Saturday, August 17, 2013 at Broad Street United Methodist Church with Rev. Dr. Michael Gehring officiating. Burial will follow in the Forsyth Memorial Park in Winston-Salem, NC. The family will receive friends Friday evening 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Nicholson Funeral Home. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.nicholsonfunerals.com Nicholson Funeral Home is serving the family.