Obituary for Warren Thomas Keith
WARREN THOMAS KEITH
Warren Thomas Keith, age 66, passed away September 14th, 2020 at his home in Weston, Missouri with his family at his side after a two-year courageous battle with cancer. He was born November 16th, 1953 to Warren Elwood and Jeannine (Watson) Keith at the Axtel Hospital in Princeton, Missouri and was raised in the Lucerne, Missouri community. Warren Thomas started first grade at the school in Lucerne and walked across the street to have lunch daily with his great grandmother (Gammy), which was a favorite childhood memory as well as watching wrestling on TV with her on Friday nights. He then attended West Putnam R-III through the 6th grade and went to Unionville, Missouri for grades 7-12. He graduated from Unionville High School in 1971 and attended Centerville, Iowa Community College and Trenton, Missouri Community College before graduating from Missouri Western College in St. Joseph, Missouri in 1975 with a degree in History and minor in Political Science. At the young age of 12, Warren Thomas developed a great work ethic seeking summer jobs such as mowing lawns and the Lucerne cemetery, picking up hay and working in Earl Myers Garden Center in Lucerne. The first thing he purchased with his own money at age 12 were the newest teflon cookie sheets for his mother which she still uses to this day. On September 9, 1978, he married Debbie Cole from Powersville, Missouri and from this union, two daughters were born, Lauren Christine and Katelyn Brooke. He worked in retail management with F.W. Woolworth, as well as TG&Y and Lance foods over the course of twenty years as Debbie pursued her medical degree, internship and residency in Family Practice. After their two daughters were born, he left retail management to be a stay at home dad. Warren Thomas and Debbie moved their family from Kansas City, Missouri to Weston, Missouri in 1999 to raise their daughters in a small town environment like they were raised in. They planted a vineyard, pecan grove and fruit orchard on their 40 acres and turned their barn into a Bed and Breakfast, which Warren Thomas primarily operated for 17 years. In October 2017, they closed the Bed and Breakfast and turned the barn into a Wedding/Event Venue. Warren Thomas was also an integral part of helping Debbie manage her Medical Practice in Weston as well as her Medical Spa Practice in Kansas City. Warren Thomas loved to hunt, which he learned from his Grandad Raymond Watson. Both sets of his grandparents babysat him until he started grade school, which had a huge impact on the man he became. He loved and owned several Corvettes throughout his life, loved to travel and spend time at their lake house with family. He was an avid fan of the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. He loved the Lord and gave his life to Christ at the age of 11 and was rebaptized at Lake Viking in 2019. He was a member of the Lucerne Methodist Church and later transferred his membership to Salem Christian Church in Weston where he served in several different capacities such as a Deacon, Elder, Chairman of the Church Board, and Trustee. He was a member of the Weston Masonic Lodge. Warren Thomas loved his family and was blessed to see his only grandson, Henry Thomas, born 5 months ago. He was preceded in death by his father, Warren Elwood Keith, grandparents Norris C. and Loleta Keith, and Raymond and Rachel Watson. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Debra Keith, Lauren {Levi} and Henry Thomas VanZant, Katelyn Keith, his mother Jeannine Keith, sisters Joyce {Kevin} Fowler, Janice Keith and companion Scott Starnes, brothers-in-law Ron {Jonna} Cole, Jim Cole, Larry Cole, six nieces, two nephews, six great nieces and six great nephews. He was a great Christian role model, a wonderful husband and father and loved deeply by many. His gentle, patient, brave, kind and loving spirit will be missed by many. A visitation will be held 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., Friday, September 18, 2020 at Salem Christian Church in Weston. Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 19, at the church. Interment will follow at the Lucerne Cemetery, Lucerne, MO at 2:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. Arrangements By: Vaughn Funeral Home—Weston, MO—Ph. 816.386.2281. www.vaughnfuneralhomes.com
Warren Thomas Keith, age 66, passed away September 14th, 2020 at his home in Weston, Missouri with his family at his side after a two-year courageous battle with cancer. He was born November 16th, 1953 to Warren Elwood and Jeannine (Watson) Keith at the Axtel Hospital in Princeton, Missouri and was raised in the Lucerne, Missouri community. Warren Thomas started first grade at the school in Lucerne and walked across the street to have lunch daily with his great grandmother (Gammy), which was a favorite childhood memory as well as watching wrestling on TV with her on Friday nights. He then attended West Putnam R-III through the 6th grade and went to Unionville, Missouri for grades 7-12. He graduated from Unionville High School in 1971 and attended Centerville, Iowa Community College and Trenton, Missouri Community College before graduating from Missouri Western College in St. Joseph, Missouri in 1975 with a degree in History and minor in Political Science. At the young age of 12, Warren Thomas developed a great work ethic seeking summer jobs such as mowing lawns and the Lucerne cemetery, picking up hay and working in Earl Myers Garden Center in Lucerne. The first thing he purchased with his own money at age 12 were the newest teflon cookie sheets for his mother which she still uses to this day. On September 9, 1978, he married Debbie Cole from Powersville, Missouri and from this union, two daughters were born, Lauren Christine and Katelyn Brooke. He worked in retail management with F.W. Woolworth, as well as TG&Y and Lance foods over the course of twenty years as Debbie pursued her medical degree, internship and residency in Family Practice. After their two daughters were born, he left retail management to be a stay at home dad. Warren Thomas and Debbie moved their family from Kansas City, Missouri to Weston, Missouri in 1999 to raise their daughters in a small town environment like they were raised in. They planted a vineyard, pecan grove and fruit orchard on their 40 acres and turned their barn into a Bed and Breakfast, which Warren Thomas primarily operated for 17 years. In October 2017, they closed the Bed and Breakfast and turned the barn into a Wedding/Event Venue. Warren Thomas was also an integral part of helping Debbie manage her Medical Practice in Weston as well as her Medical Spa Practice in Kansas City. Warren Thomas loved to hunt, which he learned from his Grandad Raymond Watson. Both sets of his grandparents babysat him until he started grade school, which had a huge impact on the man he became. He loved and owned several Corvettes throughout his life, loved to travel and spend time at their lake house with family. He was an avid fan of the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. He loved the Lord and gave his life to Christ at the age of 11 and was rebaptized at Lake Viking in 2019. He was a member of the Lucerne Methodist Church and later transferred his membership to Salem Christian Church in Weston where he served in several different capacities such as a Deacon, Elder, Chairman of the Church Board, and Trustee. He was a member of the Weston Masonic Lodge. Warren Thomas loved his family and was blessed to see his only grandson, Henry Thomas, born 5 months ago. He was preceded in death by his father, Warren Elwood Keith, grandparents Norris C. and Loleta Keith, and Raymond and Rachel Watson. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Debra Keith, Lauren {Levi} and Henry Thomas VanZant, Katelyn Keith, his mother Jeannine Keith, sisters Joyce {Kevin} Fowler, Janice Keith and companion Scott Starnes, brothers-in-law Ron {Jonna} Cole, Jim Cole, Larry Cole, six nieces, two nephews, six great nieces and six great nephews. He was a great Christian role model, a wonderful husband and father and loved deeply by many. His gentle, patient, brave, kind and loving spirit will be missed by many. A visitation will be held 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., Friday, September 18, 2020 at Salem Christian Church in Weston. Funeral services will be held 10:00 a.m., Saturday, September 19, at the church. Interment will follow at the Lucerne Cemetery, Lucerne, MO at 2:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. Arrangements By: Vaughn Funeral Home—Weston, MO—Ph. 816.386.2281. www.vaughnfuneralhomes.com