William E. "Bill" Keith

July 05, 1947 - March 18, 2017

William E. "Bill" Keith Obituary Bill was born in McMinnville Oregon in 1947. He grew up in Eugene, Oregon and attended North Eugene High School and graduated from Sheldon High School in 1965, and then on to the University of Oregon. Bill started his career at Bi-Mart in 1968 in Albany, Oregon and advanced to manager at multiple locations. In 1973, with his love of the ocean, he decided to become a commercial fisherman out of Charleston/Coos Bay, Oregon. He fished up and down the Northern California and Oregon coast delighting in his adventures and success. In 1975 Bill went to work at Far West marketing in Seattle and then transitioned to sales for Peerless Chain. His travels with Peerless took him to Spokane Washington where he met and married the love of his life Debby Culler. Shortly thereafter he started a twenty-four year career at Jensen Distributing where he advanced to Senior Vice President National Accounts. Bill retired in 2013 and enjoyed time on his boat, time at his cabin on Priest Lake, hunting and fishing, and many travels with his wife, most recently on a Safari to South Africa. Bill was a voracious reader and was particularly interested in the history of World War II. Bill was loved and respected by everyone he met on his journey. He was a survivor from a very young age and maintained a positive attitude throughout his life. He was preceded in death by his Father Paul Alven Keith and his mother Ruth Barendrick Keith as well as his brother Paul Harrison Keith and sister Carolyn Ruth Rounds. Bill is survived by his wife of twenty-three years, Debby Keith, his sons Brian and Brady (Teresa), and his granddaughters Tiana and Leta, his sister Julie Keith Nichols (John), his three sister-in-laws MaryAnn Gibson (Gary), Christine Brooks (Bill), and Susan Scheelke (Brad.) Bill had nine nieces and nephews and three grand nieces and nephews. Services will be held on April 1st at 10:00 am at Heritage Funeral Home (508 North Government Way, Spokane, WA, 99224). Celebration of Life to follow. In lieu of flowers the family would ask you to consider a donation to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.