Life and Death go on

This is the last post of the day. All I can say is whew! What a roller coaster of a day! I was up at midnight launching this and woke up at 5 a.m for a men's group at church. I taught school today and still managed to make sure these posts kept coming every 39 minutes.

It feels a little (even for me) heavy handed to go on about Keith all day. I had friends and relatives having surgeries and tests today. I just heard that a dear friend from high school's father passed away this weekend. (Please pray for the Broten family in this time. ) I also have a 1st cousin once removed who is battling Leukemia. (Pray for Jenna and her family as well.)

Do I really have the right to focus so much energy on my brother when there is so much need elsewhere? I think, yes. Preparing to celebrate Keith in this manner and then celebrating him as helped me appreciate his significance but also to see that there are so many people out there who have lost or are losing someone just as precious as Keith.

I hope by recounting his story, that others are blessed and encouraged. I know I have been in writing and editing these memories. I would like to thank all those who have contributed to this collection. I especially thank My wife, Amy, who encouraged me and anchored me in this project.

Died in 2009

One of the big highlights at our house growing up come Oscar or Emmy time was the listing of those who died in the past year. Here are just a few who passed away the same year as Keith did . . .

Bea Arthur - Actress. Died April 25th at age of 86. Best known for work in Maude and Golden Girls. She was actually just portraying our Grandma Friedrichs.

Corazon Aquino - World Leader. Died August 1st at age 76. Beloved president of Philippines.

Walter Cronkite - Anchor Man. Died July 17 at age 92. Longtime CBS News icon.

Larry Gelbart - Television and Movie Producer. Died September 11th at age 81. Creator of M*A*S*H (the T.V. show not the movie, acronym or potatoes).

John Hughes - Movie Director. Died August 6th at age 59. Known for his work on Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles. Ricardo Montalban.

Died January 14th at age 88. Veteran actor best known for his work on Fantasy Island. Keith and I know him best for playing Khan. In Star Trek II Wrath of Khan.

Died at the age of 38

Keith would have been 39 today. You don't need to be the caliber of a mathemagician that Keith was to figure out that he died at the age of 38.

Here is a short list of others who have died at the same age. . .

Roberto Clemente - Baseball Player. Died 1972. Pittsburgh Pirate Hall of Famer died while doing humanitarian work.

Harry Chapin - Song Writer, Singer. Died 1981. Most famous for song Cat's in The Cradle.

Florence Griffith Joyner - Olympic Track Star.
Died 1998.

John F. Kennedy Jr. - Son of President Kennedy. Died 1999. Published George Magazine

Died April 7th

Here is a short list of famous people who share Keith's date of death.

P.T. Barnum - Circus Organizer and hoaxer. Died in 1891 at age 80. The saying "A sucker born every minute" is often attributed to him. May have been uttered by a contemporary.

Henry Ford - Automotive Pioneer. Died in 1947 at age 83. Streamlined auto industry.

Johnny Hart - Cartoonist. Died in 2007 at age 80. Created the comics strips B.C. and Wizard of Id. Stirred up controversy with his highly evangelical Easter Sunday panels in B.C.

Speaking of Easter, I found one reference on the Internet that Jesus Christ died on April 7th.

If that is indeed historically accurate, I find it very encouraging that Keith died on the same day that His savior died for His sins and those of the world. Because of Christ's death and subsequent Resurrection, I will one day see Keith again in Heaven.

A quick Keith and Dave Joke

One day I told Keith that I would love to go skiing in Norwegia.

I knew he would correct me and he did.

He said "Norway."

And I said "No, Really! I'd love to go!"

We tried to recreate the magic for years but no one else would fall for it.