april 30, 1941 - january 1, 2022
rank: PFC E-2
dates of service: 1959 - 1967
Harold was born in Wake County, NC to George Edwrith Keith and Blanche Smith Keith. Harold lived his entire life in Wake County. He attended Knightdale School from 1st grade to 12th grade. He was accepted to NC State School of Design but instead of going to NCSU, he entered the United States Marine Corp Reserves on June 20, 1959. He spent 6 months of active duty plus 8 years inactive with monthly weekend and 2 weeks Summer training.
On Dec. 17, 1960, Harold married Joyce Glover to whom he was married 61 years until his death. They had two children early on, Jeffery Harold (deceased at 7 years of age from Cystic Fibrosis) and Victoria Suzanne, and a little later were blessed with foster children who became their sons: Earl Kirkman Keith, Hugh Kirkman and Phillip Galvan. Harold and Joyce also cultivated relationships with a great number of people in the Burmese refugee community and considered many of them to be their children and grandchildren.
Harold was self-employed in the construction and real estate industries for the majority of his adult life. He believed Christ was his Lord and Savior and attended Knightdale Baptist before being a member of Mt. Vernon Baptist in Raleigh for the last 22 years.
There were three things that were most important to Harold – God, his family and extended family, and his country. He believed every young man should spend time in the armed services not only to give back to their country but also for the life lessons such service teaches.
