We mourn the loss of our friend, Lee Keith

 

 

 

Lee came from a family of Scottish descent who arrived in America in the mid-1700's and moved to Tennessee, Texas, and Oklahoma, and eventually settled in Quay Valley, New Mexico in 1909. Prominent among them was Lee's great-grandfather, Abijah Keith, frontiersman, Civil War Veteran, Texas Ranger, member of O'Neal's Company Z, Erath County Minutemen, and Veteran of the Indian Wars. Lee was born May 15, 1921 to Talbert and Laura Keith in Quay County, New Mexico. His professional career and life was varied and service-oriented. He served as a military and federal government aviator, county veterans service officer, American Legion leader and veterans' rights advocate, and cattle rancher. Raised on a cattle ranch in New Mexico, Lee grew to become skilled in ranching, horsemanship, hunting, and fishing. He graduated from Quay High School in 1939 where he starred in basketball and track. Inspired to be a military aviator, he obtained basic flying training from a crop duster pilot and followed his sense of duty and service in joining the armed forces. Lee enlisted in the United States Navy, received training as a naval aviator, where he broke the then-existing time-record for the famous obstacle course, and earned his commission as a First Lieutenant and Naval Aviator's wings in 1943. Lee then answered the call to serve his country by transferring to the United States Marine Corps in which he served as a Marine aviator flying the Vought F4U Corsair fighter and R5D transport aircraft on missions in the Pacific War of World War II, Korean War, and flying transport and F8U Crusader jet aircraft in the postwar era, including the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962, until completion of his active and reserve duty service. While serving in the Marine Corps, Lee's comrades-in-arms included major league baseball great, Ted Williams, motion picture actor, Tyrone Power, legendary "Black Sheep Squadron" leader, fighter pilot ace, and Medal of Honor recipient, Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, and fighter pilot ace and Medal of Honor winner, Joe Foss. Upon his honorable discharge from the Marine Corps active and reserve duty in 1965, Lee had attained the rank of Major, attended the preeminent Naval War College, and received the Air Medal for heroic achievement in aerial flight. In the interval between WWII and Korean War, Lee attended Colorado State University, formerly called Colorado A&M University, and graduated with a B.S. degree in forestry and range management in 1950. Following graduation from CSU, he was recalled to service as a Marine aviator during the Korean War and post-war period. After completing active duty in the Marine Corps in 1956, Lee returned to New Mexico for a time as a rancher and federal air traffic controller at a local airport. A few years later, he returned to full-time aviation with the Federal Aviation Agency and relocated with his family to Denton, Texas, and he enjoyed a fifteen-year career as an FAA aviator specialist in inspecting and certifying aircraft instrument landing systems at major airports in the Southwestern United States from 1960 to 1975. Thereafter, Lee proudly served as the Denton County Veterans Service Officer from 1975 to 1996, as well as continuing his cattle ranching interests in both New Mexico and Texas. As the Denton County Veterans Service Officer, Lee zealously advocated and assisted countless veterans in securing their benefits, established an exceptionally efficient and effective county veteran services office, and was twice elected President of the Veterans County Service Officers Association of Texas for 1992 and 1993. Additionally, Lee was a very active, tireless, and dedicated leader in the American Legion organization at the local, state, and national levels. Among his notable American Legion accomplishments were serving as Post-71 Commander, District Commander, Division Commander, and District Judge Advocate; Post-71 sponsor and advisor to several high school students who won state oratorical competitions sponsored by the American Legion and a few who advanced to the American Legion as national oratorical competition leading to college scholarships for such students, and Local Post 71 chairman of selecting and advising high school students for participation in American Legion-sponsored Boys State programs that promoted student education about constitutional matters, state legislative processes, and Americanis. For Lee's veterans advocacy and services, he received several awards and certificates of appreciation for his services to veterans, including the Texas Veterans Commission Certificate of Appreciation, National Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation Commission Citation for meritorious service, numerous American Legion certificates of appreciation for service, Marine Corps League Distinguished Service Award, and United States House of Representatives Congressional Veteran Commendation. Active also in the Rotary Club of Denton, Lee was recognized for his devoted and unselfish service above self to the club and community, accorded certificates of appreciation for his sponsorship of several Denton-area Little League baseball teams. The Rotary International recognized Lee with its prestigious Paul Harris Fellow award in appreciation for his furtherance of better understanding and friendly relations between peoples of the world. Significantly, Lee was a member of the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery Foundation and he was among those instrumental in convincing the National Cemetery Administration of the Department of Veterans Affairs to establish the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery as the sixth national cemetery in Texas in 2000. The DFWNC is dedicated as final resting places for Veterans and dependents with lasting tributes that commemorate their service and sacrifice to our Nation.

 

Lee will be interred at the DFWNC with full military honors. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Denton and an active and faithful member of his Sunday school class at the church. Upon his death, he was still active in American Legion activities as well as his cattle ranching and real estate investment interests. Lee was preceded in death by his beloved wife of almost 61 years, Kathleen Joy Keith, in 2006. They had married during WWII while Lee was serving as a U.S. Marine aviator and Kathleen was a registered nurse in San Antonio, Texas in 1945. While Lee's time with his family, friends, and community was finite, his legacy is boundless. A devout Christian and great man, Lee will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him and he is now in the arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for eternity.

 

He is survived by children, Darrell Keith and wife Susan, of Fort Worth, and William "Bill" Keith and wife Debbie of Denton; grandchildren, Courtney Keith of Fort Worth, and Laura "Lori" Tapply and husband, Kyle of Dallas; great-grandchildren, Cassidy and Carson Conroy; and brothers Neil Keith of Iowa, Tommy Keith of Colorado, Melvin Keith of New Mexico, Alvin Keith of Colorado, and many other extended family members living in the Southwest.