Ervin Eugene Keith

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Ervin Eugene Keith, 66, El Dorado Springs, Mo., passed away on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010, at St. John's Regional Medical Center in Springfield, Mo., following a lengthy illness. He was born on March 26, 1944, in Stockton, Mo., to Finis Charles Keith and Halene Louise Scholler Keith. He married Sharon Pitts in 2000 and she preceded him in death in 2004.

Ervin grew up in Foster and attended the Foster and Rich Hill Schools. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1961-1964, stationed in the Philippines and Viet Nam. Ervin worked as a truck driver his whole life and worked for various trucking companies out of Joplin. He lived in Vernon County for eight years from 1968-1976, then in Joplin, Mo., for more than 20 years. He had lived in El Dorado Springs, Mo., for the past nine years. He was a member of the American Legion.

Survivors include five children, Roy Lee Keith, El Dorado Springs, Mo., Tabitha Keith, Jennette Fields, Sabrina Keith, and Ervin Keith Jr., all of Joplin, Mo.; 18 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; four brothers, Clyde Keith, Lowry City, Mo., Fred Bishop, Nevada, Mo., James Bishop, Joplin, Mo., and Kenneth Bishop, Woodburn, Ore., and two sisters, Frieda Burrows, Muskogee, Okla., and Nancy Dirks, Alba, Mo. He was preceded in death by his parents, Finis Keith and Halene Grinner Keith; two brothers, Frank Keith and LeRoy Keith; and four sisters, Mary Bishop, Maxine Baker, Mildred Clemmons, and Jean Williams.

Memorial services with Military Rites will be held at 1:30 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 9, at Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada, with the Rev. Carl Covey officiating. A private committal will be held at a later date. Friends may call now and until the hour of service at the funeral home.

Those who wish may contribute to the American Lung Association or the American Cancer Society.

View obituary and send condolences on line at www.ferryfuneralhome.com