Cdr Keith H. Dearth Usn

CDR  Keith H. Dearth  USN

April 20, 1923 ~ October 28, 2014

Keith H. Dearth, age 91, of Montrose, Co. died October 28, 2014 at Sunrise Creek Assisted Living in Montrose.  Keith was born April 30, 1923 in Syracuse, Kansas, where his mother’s family resided.  He moved to Montrose as a young child and attended Morgan School. Keith graduated from Montrose High School in 1941, where he met his future wife, Mary Ellen. Following high school, Keith went on achieve his Navy Wings in 1943, he then asked Mary Ellen to come to Fort Worth where they were married. They had celebrated 62 years of marriage at Mary Ellen’s time of death in March of 2006. Mary Ellen worked as a secretary at various locations near where her husband was based until World War II ended.  Following the war, Keith attended the University of Colorado in Boulder, graduating with a Civil Engineering Degree.  He then went on to Rensselaer Poly Technic Institute in Troy, New York to receive his Master’s Degree.  They moved to Estes Park where Keith worked for the Bureau of Reclamation.  Shortly thereafter he entered the United States Navy Civil Engineers Corp.  Thus began a fabulous military, construction, public works life at various Navy bases throughout the United States; Rota Spain, the Caribbean Sea, and Newfoundland, Canada.  Their two sons, Gregory and Geoffrey, were with their parents at every location.

After Navy retirement, Keith worked as a stockbroker in a major Firm’s Beverly Hills Office.  Mary Ellen accompanied Keith, as the president of a 50-person architecture/engineering firm in South Carolina and for 10 years as a supervisory environmental engineer for the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C.  Two years after retiring from the EPA, Keith was a consultant moving back to Montrose 20 years ago, where he made his home until his time of death.

Keith’s special interests include his love for golf, spent with his wife, Mary Ellen; investing and real Estate.  He enjoyed flying his private plane that he shared with others to travel here and there.  Ball room dancing was a special interest to both Keith and Mary Ellen which they really enjoyed.  Keith taught and danced for many, many years well into his retirement years and a hobby which kept him feeling so young.   Keith was a Pillar of the Montrose Community for many years, helping raise the funds to build the Pavilion, running the Senior Dances for over 20 years and supporting the Senior Center with his counsel and as a founder of the Senior Center.

A celebration of Keith’s life will be held on Friday, October 31, at 2:00 P.M. at Crippin Funeral Home Chapel, with Pastor Paul Nystrom officiating.  A Military Graveside Service will follow at Cedar Cemetery, east of Montrose.  Arrangements are under the care of Crippin Funeral Home & Crematory, Montrose, Colorado.