Kenneth Keith

Kenneth Kirby Keith went home to be with his Savior on February 12, 2025. He was 85 years young.

He was born on January 21, 1940 to Hubert and Clancy Irene Wycoff Keith in Dayton Tennessee. He was a graduate of Dayton City School and Rhea Central High School. Upon completion of high school, he joined the Air Force and served in Vietnam. While stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Base in Goldsboro, North Carolina, he met the first love of his life and married Betty Jean Williams until her death in 1995.

When he finished his Air Force tour, he attended and graduated from Holmes Theological Seminary in Greenville South Carolina with a bachelor's degree in sacred literature. He was ordained at the seminary as a Pentecostal Holiness Church minister and served in the East Tennessee Conference as the youth leader for many years.

Kenneth was an avid aviation enthusiast and was a flight instructor at Dayton's Mark Anton Airport as well as ran the airport's fixed base operations as a co-owner in the 1980's. He remained active in the Rhea County Civil Air Patrol and loved to help at their fundraising breakfasts. He built and owned Golden Years Retirement Resort in Spring City from 1992 until 2010. Kenneth was a member of Walden's Ridge Baptist Church, and was active in the Walden's Ridge Community Club.

Many knew Kenneth as the telephone man as he worked and retired after 40 years from Bell South telephone company. However, many more knew him as the honey man. Kenneth started keeping bees in 1972 and continued his whole life producing and selling honey on Dayton Mountain, eventually combining the business with his son, Christopher, who will continue the tradition.

Kenneth was a devoted husband, loving father, caring brother, and a well loved grandfather. He was one of the most generous, friendly, kind, and involved members of the community .

Kenneth was preceded in death by his parents, Hubert Keith and Irene Keith, as well as 3 brothers, Bill, Donald and Robert. He is survived by his beloved wife of 28 years, Amy Kathleen (Short) Keith; 3 sisters, Darlene, Sherry, and Deb; His son Christopher (Melissa); stepchildren Carla (Levi), Josh, and Brent Wampler; grandchildren Meghan Keith (Joel) Driver, Christian Keith, Joy and Loralye Wooden, Maysen and Briar Calbaugh, as well as 3 great grandchildren.

A celebration of Kenneth Keith's life will be held on March 1st 2025 at 3pm at Walden's Ridge Baptist Church on Dayton Mountain.