Keith Lundvall
courtesy photo
Keith Lundvall
RONAN — A memorial service for Keith Lundvall will be at 11 a.m. Friday, April 25, 2014 at Walker Funeral Home. Keith Peter Lundvall passed from here to the hereafter on April 21, 2014, due to complications from Down’s Syndrome. He was born in Ronan at St. Luke’s Hospital to Godfrey “Bud” and Dorothy Lundvall and was the seventh of seven children. At his birth, the doctor encouraged Dorothy to place him in an institution, because these kinds of children did not live long or prosper. The family was gathered and all of the siblings stated they would do their part to provide the kind of home where their little brother would be loved. He resided his whole life in Ronan with his mom and family in the home.
Keith referred to himself as “Keith, the apostle Peter, man of God Lundvall.” He was given the name Keith Pearl Lundvall, but when he got old enough to communicate his intentions and preferences, he requested that his mom change his middle name from Pearl to Peter.
Keith became a mainstay and rock, an example to all with whom he came into contact and the very essence of “family” in both the home and community. He was endearingly loving, incredibly witty, a whole lot of fun and he remains the best of all of us.
He loved the Ronan sports teams and bled orange-and-black … with interwoven streams of colors from the Grizzly, Mariners and Seahawks teams. As a young child, he was always at the ball diamond, chasing after bats and foul balls and in his honor, the north diamond in Ronan was named the “Keith Lundvall field.”
Keith worked almost 14 years for Pizza Hut in Polson and from there he retired to spend time with friends in Mission Mountain Enterprises, working part-time in the Twice But Nice thrift store. Keith worked and socialized through the wonderful services of Mission Mountain Enterprises from when he graduated from Ronan High School in 1978 up until he moved to Gillette, Wyo., in January of this year. Keith also served several years on the board of directors for Mission Mountain Enterprises and was recently honored for his dedication, representation and advocacy of and for people with developmental disabilities in the Mission Valley.
When his mom passed away in February 2013, he asked his sister Char-el if he could move to Gillette, so he could love on and be loved by his Gillette family: Dennis, Mary, Shilo, Shay, Lindsey, baby Lundvall, Shonnananaa, Mike, and Kaesin.
He is preceded in death by his mom Dorothy Lundvall on Feb. 20, 2013, and his dad Bud Lundvall on Feb. 12, 1977.
He is survived by four brothers: Lawrence Moore, Franklin Moore (Jan Pratt), John Wesley Lundvall (Gloria), Dennis Lundvall (Mary) and two sisters: Benita Hanenburg (Ross) and Char-el Montana and numerous nieces and nephews, all of whom he loved very much and spoke of by name up until his death.
A celebration of Keith’s life will take place at the Ronan Activity Center (MME) on May 22 at 10 a.m. The public is welcome.
Condolences may also be sent via our website at: walkerfuneralgillette.com.
