Jody Keever, 67, passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home in Wantage on Friday, April 3, 2026. Born on Sept. 19, 1958, to Walter and Patricia Keever, Jody attended Lafayette Consolidated School and High Point Regional High School. Raised in the saddle and immersed in the horse world from day one, she developed a lifelong passion for riding at an early age. As a child, she competed in barrel racing at many 4-H horse shows and professional rodeos, winning numerous prizes and blue ribbons. As a young adult competing on the rodeo circuit with her father, she earned a reputation as an accomplished and reliable hazer in steer wrestling events; a role very rarely held by women. Her upbringing in this world gave her an encyclopedic knowledge of Quarter Horse bloodlines and livestock behavior. By her early twenties, she possessed a level of expertise that rivaled veterans twice her age. This lifelong immersion proved an indispensable asset when she made the natural transition into her professional career, serving nearly 25 years as an Animal ID Coordinator for the USDA. Her role required constant travel throughout the United States, often for weeks or months at a time, inspecting both large-scale operations and small livestock farms, as well as meatpacking plants. Working closely with producers and veterinarians, she was instrumental in identifying and containing disease outbreaks while ensuring strict humane oversight. Yet beyond the formal inspections and regulations central to safeguarding the industry, it was the people who truly defined her career. Her decades of travel to every corner of the country allowed her to cultivate lifelong friendships rooted in a deep mutual respect for the way of life she sought to protect. Despite a career that took her across the nation, her heart remained firmly rooted on her own farm in Wantage. There she found her greatest joy, surrounded by the animals she loved so dearly. Her home was a sanctuary for her fur babies: her horse, Itch; her dog, Cody; and her goat, Popsicle. Most especially, she cherished Lambie, a baby lamb she rescued through her work from certain demise — a final, personal testament to the life of compassion and protection she led. A trailblazer in a man’s world and a protector of the American livestock tradition, Jody moved through life with a servant’s heart and a master’s eye. Whether in the dust of the horse arena, the offices of the USDA, or the quiet pastures of her Wantage farm, she lived a life defined by grit and grace. Hard working and straight talking with no apologies given, she leaves behind a legacy of strength, compassion, and an unbreakable bond with the people, animals, and land she loved. She finished her ride exactly where she wanted to be; at home on the farm, surrounded by those she loved most. Jody was predeceased by her father, Walt Keever (2007); her mother, Patricia Keever (2016); and her sisters, Katie (1978) and Patti (2021). Left to cherish her memory is her devoted life partner, Dave Del Sardo. She is also survived by her brother, Walter Keever, and his wife, Colleen, of Lafayette; her stepnieces, Kirsten Herman of Wantage and Selena Herman of Lafayette; her aunt, Kathleen Scalera of Teaneck; and her uncle, Bob Blomquist of Nutley. She also leaves behind several cousins and a wide circle of dear friends, both in the local Sussex County community and across the country, who became family to her over a lifetime of common ground and shared horizons. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund, which lends a helping hand to professional rodeo athletes and their families when catastrophic injury sidelines those who have dedicated their lives to the sport. One hundred percent of all contributions are given directly to eligible recipients. Donations may be sent to: Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund 101 Pro Rodeo Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80919 Donation forms and online giving options can also be found at justincowboycrisisfund.org. Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 9, 2026, at the Pinkel Funeral Home, 31 Bank Street (Route 23), Sussex. Interment immediately followed at Frankford Plains Cemetery. Friends paid their respects to the family on Wednesday, April 8, 2026, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.pinkelfuneralhome.com
