The Obituary of Linwood Keith, Master Sergeant, United States Air Force, Retired

Making His Appearance

Master Sergeant Linwood Keith was the first-born of six children born to Horace and Alice M. Bullock Keith. He was born on March 2, 1940, in Durham, North Carolina. A brother, Larry E. Keith, is deceased. Surviving siblings include Carolyn A. Keith (1944); Agnes D. Keith (1947) (Eugene-deceased); Marilyn Keith (1950) (Oscar); and Kathy V Keith (1952).

Early on, the father relocated the family from Durham to Baltimore, Maryland where he found employment with the Bethlehem Steel Company building ships for the U.S. Navy during WWII. After the war, I947, the family returned to Durham, N.C and Linwood Keith’s personal saga began.

Early Preparation
He was a product of the Durham County Public School System, attending Rocky Knoll Elementary School, and Merrick-Moore Junior and Senior High Schools. He graduated with the Merrick-Moore Class of 1958, honored as its Valedictorian. He entered North Carolina College at Durham in September 1958, but withdrew prior to graduation because the Vietnam War had intervened and he wanted to be part of it, too. Being a soldier and a scholar appealed to him. Besides, no one had ever told him that he “could not have his cake and eat it too.”

Peace, War and Education
Linwood enlisted in the United States Air Force on August 1, 1962, and reported to Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas, and later to Amarillo Air Force Base, Amarillo, Texas for training. Taking advantage of the military’s off- duty education program, he completed classes offered by Phoenix Junior College and the University of Nebraska, Omaha, Nebraska. After returning home from military service in 1967, Sergeant Keith received the Bachelor of Science Degree in Biology from North Carolina College in Durham; he received the Master of Arts Degree in History from North Carolina Central University in 1981; and in 1991 , the Master of Arts Degree, in Liberal Studies from Duke University. While on active duty, Linwood served in Texas, Arizona and the Republic of South Vietnam. On May 25, 1967, Sergeant Keith was released from active duty and assigned to the inactive reserves. However, he had found that the military life appealed to him. It appealed to those passions in his life that formed his character, namely pageantry, spit and polish, the uniforms and what they represented, the honor code, knowing that one might be asked to make the ultimate sacrifice for one’s country, standing for something. On September 17, 1977, Sergeant Keith enlisted in the 145th Airlift Group, North Carolina Air National Guard, Headquartered at Charlotte, Douglas Airport, Charlotte, North Carolina. His assignments included stateside, Europe, Central America, and South America.

In 1993, Technical Sergeant was promoted to the rank of Master Sergeant (First Sergeant) and given the responsibility for assisting his Commander with the complete command, control and training of 225 troops and assuring their readiness at all times to deploy world-wide to carry out the orders of the President.

On January 1, 2000, having reached the mandatory retirement age of 60, Master Sergeant Keith was honorably retired and discharged from North Carolina’s military component of the state’s military service - the National Guard Bureau, and the United States Air Force. He was retired with 28 years of military service, having served in the active-duty Air Force, the Air Force Reserves, and the North Carolina Air National Guard. His military service began with President Kennedy and the future missile crisis and ended with President Clinton and the Bosnian War. Master Sergeant Keith enjoyed telling listeners that he began his military career with a high school diploma and ended with three earned college degrees.

Awards and Decorations Air Force and National Guard

Air Force Achievement Medal

Air Force Outstanding Unit Medal

Air Force Good Conduct Medal

Air Reserve Meritorious Service Medal

National Defense Service Medal

Vietnam Service Medal

Humanitarian Service Award

Air Force Longevity Service Award/Ribbon

Air Force Training Ribbon

North Carolina Awards and Decorations

North Carolina National Guard Meritorious Service Medal

North Carolina National Guard Commendation Medal

North Carolina National Guard Service Award Ribbon

North Carolina National Guard Meritorious Unit Ribbon

Continuing Affiliations

Air Force Association

National Guard Association

North Carolina Retired Governmental Employees’ Association

NCCU Alumni Association

Duke Alumni Association

UNC General Alumni Association (honorary)

State Employees’ Association of North Carolina

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity – On December 5, 1959, while a sophomore at North Carolina College, Sergeant Keith was initiated into the Alpha Kappa Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. On December 5, 2009, the Grand Chapter awarded him the Certificate of Recognition for 50 years of exemplary service and dedication. On June 2, 2012, he received recognition for 50 years of service awarded by the Kappas of Durham Foundation and the Durham Alumni Chapter. On September 29, 2017, he was recognized by the Durham Alumni Chapter for 50 years of continuous service.

Courtship and Marriage
Interspersed within all the above activity and more to follow, Master Sergeant Keith found the time for courtship and marriage. In the spring of 1972 while employed by the Danziger Company of Chapel Hill, serving as Manager of the Ramshead Rathskeller Restaurant, he was introduced to Ms. Alice A. Terrell. She was employed by the Bank of Chapel Hill (later to become the current branch of Bank of America) and holds the distinction of being its first African American employee. Linwood and Ms. Terrell dated for eight (8) years and were married on May 10, 1980, at her Church, First Baptist Church of Chapel Hill, Pastor J.R. Manley conducted the ceremony. The couple honeymooned at Niagara Falls, New York. Mrs. Keith would eventually retire with 32 years of service.

A Time for Worship and Service
Shortly after marriage, Sergeant Keith joined FBC and thereafter enjoyed an enviable list of assignments to include: Trustee member, Secretary; writer, editor and photographer for the newsletter; member, Pastoral Search Committee (Corresponding Secretary); member, Finance Committee; member, Commemorative Wall and Parking Lot Committee, (with Alice serving as Committee Chair); Housekeeping Monitor; Chair, Inventory Committee, Linwood and Alice were most proud of their thirty- plus years as members of the FBC Finance Committee with Alice having been appointed as its original Chair by Rev. Dr. J.R. Manley. Linwood was often heard saying that he enjoyed the worship and the work at FBC because of the cooperative spirit of its members and the dynamic leadership of its former Pastor, Rev. Dr. J.R. Manley, and its later Pastor, Rev, Dr. Rodney L. Coleman.

Civilian Work Experiences

In 1997, Linwood retired from UNC Healthcare, Chapel Hill, NC with 21 years of service. His positions with UNC Healthcare ran concurrently with his service with the National Guard (UNC Healthcare during the week and the National Guard one or more weekends each month and a two-week tour each summer). Positions held were Patient Transportation Supervisor, Staff Development Tech II, Director of Environmental Services, Personnel Tech II (Benefits Counselor)

Following retirement from UNC Healthcare, Mr. Keith was employed 10 years (1999-2009) with Durham Technical Community College as a Data Input Specialist. During the spring semester, 2005, he served as substitute instructor for a European History class.

Interests

Traveling, writing, history/literature, geography, military affairs, aviation and science.

Finally, please know that I consider myself as having lived a fully productive, rewarding and enjoyable life. I used Family, Country and Service as focal points. I had fun sharing it with you.

Farewell, Linwood Keith