Lloyd DeWitt Keith

Lloyd DeWitt "Dewey" Keith was born on March 1, 1933 in Umpire, Arkansas to Ivol Laverne (Faulkner) Keith and Lester Horace Keith. The oldest of four, Dewey's family moved to Cashmere Washington when he was five years old and he started first grade in Cashmere. His family later bought an apple orchard and moved to Sunnyslope. Dewey attended Wenatchee High School where he excelled in football, track and baseball. He played basketball, but always said he averaged more fouls than points.

After graduating from Wenatchee High School, he went to Wenatchee Valley College where he played football. Dewey transferred to Washington State for his junior year where he played as a walk-on and later earned a scholarship. He was also a student manager of the baseball team. Dewey saw a lot of the United States on football and baseball trips. They flew Alaska Airlines during the company’s beginnings when Alaska would take a plane off a scheduled flight to fly the teams.

Dewey graduated from WSU in 1956 with a General Studies degree. He used to say he graduated with his B.A. in one hand and his draft notice in the other. He spent his one year, eleven months and eight days in the army as a company clerk in Germany. After he was discharged as a PFC, he returned to college at Eastern Washington University as a teaching assistant to earn his teaching degree and was also an assistant football coach. He graduated from Eastern in 1959. 

While at Eastern, Dewey met Scott (age 4) and Chris (age 3). Later, he met their widowed mother, Joan Harbison Bowman, and a year later they married. Joan always said Dewey married her for her children.

Dewey’s first teaching and coaching job was in Connell, Washington which lasted five years. During that time, Dewey experienced a successful coaching and teaching career as well as the birth of three boys - Doug, Paul, and David. From Connell, Dewey went to Ellensburg where he taught at Ellensburg High School and coached football and baseball. His second year he was the athletic director and coached football and baseball.

After seven years at EHS, Dewey took a job at Kittitas teaching and coaching football. He later took a job at the Yakama Tribal School and found a new love in teaching Native American students. In 1983, Dewey and Joan went to Alaska and, for the next sixteen years, taught in Eskimo villages on the west coast of Alaska. Dewey coached girls basketball, taking his Shishmaref girls to the state tournament five years in a row, finishing second one year and third another. Dewey ended his teaching career as an assistant superintendent in Kotzebue, retiring in 1998.

In retirement, Dewey and Joan spent March in Arizona to watch the Mariners spring training. They also spent summers in South Dakota at their friends Cynthia and Dick Borrud's Christian camp as volunteers. He was a long-time member of First Lutheran Church in Ellensburg where he sang in the choir and served on the church council and various other jobs as needed. 

The travel ended ten years later as Dewey developed vascular dementia and traveling became too difficult for him. In January 2023 Dewey and Joan moved to Pacifica Senior Assisted Living. Dewey fell and broke his hip in February 2024 and, while the surgery was successful, his dementia became worse. He passed away on Monday, September 23, 2024.

Dewey was preceded in death by his son David, grandsons Alan and Andres: parents Ivol and Lester and brother Mac. He is survived by his wife Joan; daughter Chris; son Scott (Liz), Doug (Sarah), Paul (Teresa); grandchildren Sarah (Marty) Martinez; Troy (Courtney); Jake, Eve, Lulu, Rachel, Piper, Maya; and nine great-grandchildren; brother Dannie (Lou); sister Wilda (Gary) Kenzebach; two nieces and three nephews. 

Dewey’s memorial service will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 5, 2024 at the First Lutheran Church in Ellensburg with a luncheon to follow. He will be laid to rest at the IOOF Cemetery in Ellensburg.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Johnston & Williams of Ellensburg. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.johnston-williams.com