Martha Keith

Loveland, Colorado - Martha Gillen Keith, age 77, passed away on Thursday, July 10, 2014. She was born in Shreveport, Louisiana on January 2, 1937. At age 13 she was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes. Over the years several articles, using her as a model for controlling the disease, appeared in national medical publications. However, complications from the disease started taking its toll late last year. Visitation will be held from 5:00 until 7:00 P.M., Friday, July 25, 2014 at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 1815 Marshall St., Shreveport, LA. A funeral service to celebrate her life will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Saturday, July 26, 2014 at Noel Memorial United Methodist Church, 520 Herndon St., Shreveport, LA with Rev. Mimi McDowell officiating. Internment will follow at Plain Dealing Cemetery, Plain Dealing, LA. Martha was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest McKay Gillen and Lucile Wright Gillen and her brother, Ernest McKay Gillen II. She is survived by her husband, Tom M. Keith, son John M. Keith of Shreveport, son Guy W. Keith and two grandsons, Dylan and Sawyer, of Loveland, nephews Ernest McKay Gillen III and Gifford Gillen of Shreveport, cousins by the dozens and friends by the thousands. She loved and cherished her family and friends, and she adored her grandsons. She graduated from C. E. Byrd High School in Shreveport in 1954. She started her studies at Louisiana Tech in Ruston and was active in the university campus life: Freshman Advisor, honorary freshman, VP of the sophomore class, outstanding sophomore, leader positions in three sororities, member of the Wesley Foundation and Honorary Councils, a Blue Jacket, vice president of Harper Hall, secretary of the Campus Women's Council, president of the Association of Women Students, Who's Who and the list goes on and on, but you get the idea. She received her BA in education from Louisiana Tech in 1958, her Masters a few years later, and continued her education with an additional sixty hours of credit. Service and participation were her guidelines. Her husband, Tom, said he was just lucky to graduate. Martha taught 2^nd through 5^th grades at Caddo Heights and West Shreveport Elementary Schools, was coordinator at Barrett and Summer Grove Elementary Schools and was principal at Timmons Elementary School until her retirement in 1994. She received numerous recognitions and honors and one year was nominated as the Louisiana Teacher of the Year. She deeply cared for her students and was committed to helping them achieve. Early one morning at Timmons School before the students arrived, she performed the "sniff" test to check the natural gas system. There was no odor! (Odor was not added to natural gas until after the 1937 New Boston, Texas school disaster in which 465 students and teachers died from a gas explosion.) Martha flew into action. She closed the main gas valve, evacuated the school staff, alerted the Caddo Parish School Board office and other officials, turned the school busses away and shut the school down! A lot of folk thought she was nuts. However, the odorization plant at Greenwood had malfunctioned. She perhaps saved thousands of lives and became the hero at the next principals' meeting because of her immediate, efficient action. Organization and communication were among her special skills. She had been a member of Noel Memorial United Methodist Church all of her life and very active most of that time. She met her husband-to-be in the Single Young Adults Class. After their marriage they transferred to the Upper Room Class, where she played the piano and had almost perfect attendance for nearly fifty years. She was active in the Chancel Choir for a half a century. She and Tom taught the Fifth Grade Sunday School Class for 14 years. She conducted the two children's choirs for about 12 years. Her life was dedicated to Jesus, and like Him, she loved kids. Her husband and sons were active in Boy Scout Troop 15, sponsored by Noel Church. She was active in her unique way. She wrote patriotic poetry and songs, helped plan events and newsletters, decorated for programs, etc. For the troop's annual Christmas banquets, she would use the troop's activities and events for that year and write comical lyrics to the tune of "Jingle Bells." The 300 or so Scouts and their families would "belt-it-out" in song and laughter. She wrote six to ten verses per year over a twenty-five year period. She loved those Scouts. Honoring Martha as pallbearers are John Whittington, Patrick McConnell, Robert May, Teddy Miot, Frank Hendrick, Reginald Williams, James Avant and Matthew Linn. Honorary pallbearers are the some 1,300 Boy Scouts and adult leaders who were in Troop 15 during those glorious years from 1959 through 1987. Mike McConnell will be the bagpiper. They all held a special place in her heart. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions may be made to Troop 15 at Noel Church, the Diabetes Association or the charity of your choice. Online condolences may be made at www.rose-neath.com.