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Nickname: Keith has the equivalent of a nickname called a
"sign name" given to him by his mother at birth. Ask him to share it sometime.
Birthday: March 4
Favorite Foods: Fajitas at Fajita Fiesta
Favorite Movie: "Saving Private Ryan"
Favorite Hobby: Antique browsing and shopping with his wife.
Most Embarrassing Moment: Some years ago, he and his wife were clothes
shopping at a large retail store. After Lisa disapproved of a shirt he had
chosen, he returned it back to the very large rack. The rack somehow totally
collapsed on the floor along with hundreds of shirts. The manager was kind
enough to let them discreetly make their getaway.
Spouse: Lisa, since July 7, 1984
Kids: Christopher "Clyde" and Christian "Chad"
Interesting Facts: Keith's entire family is completely immersed in
deaf culture. His two sisters and their husbands are deaf, three uncles, three
aunts and eight cousins who are also deaf. Keith's in-laws and many others in
his wife's family are also deaf, and his two sons are deaf. Keith is also an
excellent lip-reader.
Keith was born in Spokane and attended School for the Deaf in Vancouver,
Washington. He grew up attending a Deaf Lutheran church with his family. He can
still remember his father's frustration, after one church service where he
desperately wished for a deaf pastor who could sign the Gospel message more
clearly. That frustration imprinted in Keith's heart, which was just beginning
to listen to God's calling to some sort of deaf ministry.
After graduating from high school, Keith attended Gallaudet University in
Washington D.C. where he met his wife, Lisa. Upon returning home for one of the
summer breaks, his old high school friend led him to Christ. After his third
year at Gallaudet he transferred to North Central Bible College in Minneapolis,
Minnesota to study in becoming a deaf minister. There in Minnesota, while still
a student, Keith and Lisa were married. After the competition of his B.A. in
Deaf Culture Pastoral Studies in 1986, they, with their two month old son,
Clyde, moved to Miami, Florida to plant a deaf church.
In 1989 they moved to Fresno, California where Keith has served as the pastor
to our deaf church here at The Bridge for the past 17 years. His wife completed
her graduate work in Deaf Education at Fresno State and is currently a teacher
in the Deaf and Hard of Hearing program at Ahwahnee Middle School. Their second
son, Chad was born in Fresno in 1991, and is now a high school student at Hoover
High with the help of interpreters. Clyde is currently a student in Washington
D.C. at Gallaudet like his dad.
Keith loves his job working at The Bridge. He loves teaching and sharing
God's word and delights at watching how God can transform the lives of deaf
people. When he has it, he spends his spare time playing golf with his sons. |
