A celebration of the life of Keith Hamilton Stewart 81, of Coos Bay will be held Saturday, December 7, 2013 at 2:00 PM at Emmanuel Episcopal Church 400 Highland Ave. Coos Bay with Reverend Jim Young presiding. Keith was born August 1, 1932 to Gaither and Evelyn (Hamilton) Stewart at Keizer Hospital in North Bend, and passed away at his Coos Bay home on November 5, 2013.
Graduating from Marshfield High School in 1950, Keith served two years with the ROTC and the National Guard, attending the University of Oregon in Eugene and Southern Oregon University in Ashland, then served four years in the U.S. Navy. He was very involved in the community, serving as President of the Coos Bay Lions Club where he was the first chairman of the long time running TV Auction, and also President of the Coos Bay Chamber of Commerce. He was a lifetime member of BPOE Elks Club #1160, Coos Bay, a member of American Legion Bay Area Post #34, North Bend and served on the Coos County Parks Department Advisory Board. Keith loved to sing, and for 40+ years was a member of the Gold Coast Barbershop Chorus, singing in many quartets, the last being “Class Distinction”. He enjoyed all kinds of music, especially barbershop harmony and Dixieland Jazz. With his father, Gaither, Keith owned Stewart’s Sport Shop in Coos Bay for 43 years. He was a founding member of the Ducks Unlimited Chapter, with Bud Kohler, and was also a member of Coos Bay Yacht Club. Keith was an accomplished gunsmith. He especially liked doing locksmith work in his later years, always willing to drop everything to help someone that locked themselves out of their house or car. Keith loved and lived life to its fullest. He enjoyed many activities, including fishing, hunting, trap shooting, crabbing, clam-digging and camping. Other pursuits included bowling, tennis, golfing, mushroom picking, dancing and pitching horseshoes. He enjoyed sharing his bounty with friends and family, with treats from the sea, rivers and the forest. He especially liked feeding birds and hummingbirds in his yard. Keith also lived for his favorite TV shows. For 7or 8 years, with Ed Troyer, he hosted a weekly KCBY TV show titled “Outdoor Guide” and did a KBBR Radio show Monday through Friday titled “Keith Stewart’s Fishing Report”.  He will be missed by many family and friends as well as the community he loved.
He is survived by his wife Caroline (Morris) Stewart; son, Michael Stewart and his partner, Cindy Straight; daughter, Julie Stewart Goodwin and her husband, Chuck; grandson, Nicholas; sisters-in-law, Jean (Morris) Helmken and Ruth (Morris) Phillips and her husband, Roger; and numerous nieces and nephews; cousins include Marlys and Damon Barnard and Gary and Terry Brown.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to South Coast Hospice 1620 Thompson Road Coos Bay, OR 97420 or the American Cancer Society 31 W. 6th St. Medford, OR 97501. Cremation rites have been held at Ocean View Memory Gardens Crematory, Coos Bay under the direction of Coos Bay Chapel. 541-267-3131.
Friends and family are encouraged to sign the on-line guest book, send condolences and share photos at www.coosbayareafunerals.com and www.theworldlink.com

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