COL John F. Keith USA (Retired)Cullum: 25935 Class: 1965 Cadet Company: G1 Date of Birth: July 15, 1943 Date of Death: September 25, 2020 Died in: Ooltewah, TN Interred: Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA - View or Post a Eulogy |
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John Francis “Jack” Keith brought excitement to his family when he arrived on July 15, 1943 in Pawtucket, RI, where his parents, Stella Gautier Keith and Francis Martin Keith, welcomed him warmly. His siblings included Michael, Francis, and Claudia. He attended public high school in Rhode Island and, upon graduation, received a nomination to USMA.
As a cadet, he spent plebe and yearling year enduring the rigors of I-1 and welcomed the more endearing ambiance of G-1 during the remaining two years. His Howitzer bio included the insight that “his happy-go-lucky attitude helped him gain the respect of all that he came in contact with.” He was active in the Russian Language Club, the Sailing Club (reflecting his Rhode Island roots), the Ski Club, and the Outdoor Sportsmen’s Club, an interest he would continue to cultivate throughout his adult life. He initially thought about going to Armor branch, but in the end chose Field Artillery.
After airborne and Ranger training, his first assignment took him to Fort Bragg, NC, to an artillery battalion, which included a TDY stint in the Dominican Republic. Subsequently, his leadership potential at higher echelons was recognized, as reflected in his selection to be the aide-de-camp to the deputy commandant at the Army War College at Carlisle Barracks, PA. That locale would prove to be significant in several ways to Jack’s subsequent career and to his life after retirement.
Unbeknownst to Jack, a young, cute collegian from Carlisle named Dotty Stringfellow was attending Southern Methodist University and receiving regular newspaper updates from home. The one with Jack’s photo in uniform caught her eye; she cut it out and put it on her desk and vowed that she would date this handsome guy when she returned home for summer vacation. She did, and the rest, as they say, is history.
He subsequently served as a battery commander in the 1-5th Field Artillery Regiment in the “Big Red One” (1st Infantry Division) in Vietnam, where he saw action in various operations just north of Saigon. The Field Artillery Officer Advanced Course at Fort Sill, OK followed. His education continued at the University of Alabama, where he earned an MBA, followed by an assignment in Washington, DC.
By now, Jack and Dotty had married. Kristen, their first of three, came along amidst his grad school studies. Tim would arrive five years later at Fort Leavenworth, KS, while Jessica joined them in Stuttgart, Germany. Other military positions included a role as a Field Artillery assignments officer at MILPERCEN and command of an artillery battalion. In the former role, Jack wisely advised other artillery officers about their careers that made a positive difference. In that latter role, one of his junior officers remembers Jack’s inspirational leadership, always getting the best from his men, and he and Dotty mentoring and caring for those in the “family; he was a hugely positive influence on the soldiers and officers of the 1-12th Field Artillery Regiment” (the world’s first Lance missile battalion).
He not only cared deeply about those in his command but also about his family and close friends. During an extended medical crisis involving Dotty, a family member described Jack’s role as “solid, calm, listening, taking it all in…he was the ultimate, loyal protector. You could feel safe around him. He wouldn’t and couldn’t let you down.” Similarly, a childhood friend of Jack’s children recalled fondly two decades of being made to feel as if he were part of that family, that “Jack and Dotty were a second set of parents…from elementary school through college, through weddings, and having kids. Jack always welcomed me and treated me as one of his own, just another Army brat in the house. Whether hiking, building his canoe, shooting his bow, playing with the dogs, or just having dinner and hanging out.” Archery was an important hobby for Jack. He introduced numerous young people, friends, and nephews to the sport, helping them obtain their first bow and hunting deer and small game together. As well, he and his father-in-law, who gave Jack his first rifle, often hunted and fished together.
His brother-in-law admired Jack for many reasons: as an "exemplary son, husband, brother, father, grandfather and uncle…compassionate and loving, honest, wonderful sense of humor, a man of good character."
After Jack retired at Carlisle from the U.S. Army War College, he wasn’t finished. With his energy and talents, he engaged the diverse experiences he had from the military and transferred them to the improvement of the lives of veterans and their families. He became head of Veterans Affairs for the Pennsylvania National Guard at Indiantown Gap, which included support of the Scotland School for veterans’ children. Next, he founded a non-profit—the Pennsylvania Parks and Forest Foundation—to support the state parks of Pennsylvania. He created friends’ groups who worked to protect the parks and grow them through donations. He also worked for the state of Pennsylvania under Governor Tom Ridge during the realignment and closure of military installations (BRAC). He and the “BRAC Pack” worked to defend and support the significance of military installations in Pennsylvania.
Whether in or out of uniform, throughout his life, Jack Keith “did well and faithfully discharge” a wide range of duties that inspired and comforted soldiers, family, friends, and associates wherever he lived. Beloved by his three siblings, wife, three adult offspring, and six grandchildren, he enriched their lives by his personal example and is deeply missed today. May he rest in peace.
— Classmates
