WEBSTER– Keith Curtis Merchant, 61, of 80 Lower Gore Road, died Thursday, February 17, in UMass Memorial Healthcare of complications from a chronic lung disease.
He leaves his wife of 38 years, Carol A. (Zackiewicz) Merchant; 2 sons, John Keith and his wife Dottie Merchant of Hudson, Maine, and Warrant Officer David Keith, who is stationed in Balad, Iraq, with the U. S. Army and his wife, Rebecca Merchant of Fairbanks, Alaska; a sister, Sheryl, wife of Robert Gentry of Arlington, Texas; 2 grandsons, Nathan and Bryan Merchant of Alaska; 3 nephews, one niece and a great nephew, all of Texas.
He was born in Chicago, Illinois, the son of the late Harry W. and Virginia Jeanne (Curtis) Merchant, and grew up in Homewood, Illinois, moving to Webster 38 years ago.
Mr. Merchant is a U. S. Army veteran, serving during the Vietnam War. As a courier for the Army Security Agency, he made several high risk trips into Vietnam to deliver codes. After his military service he became a Mass. licensed electrician, and then graduated from Quinsigamond Community College with an associates degree in computer maintenance technology. He retired from Neles-Jamesbury Co. in 2001. He was a member of Saint Louis Church.
Mr. Merchant had a life-long interest in train collecting and was a member of the Train Collector’s Association. After his retirement, he developed an avid interest in wood working. He also enjoyed hunting and was a life member of the NRA. In earlier years, he was very active in Boy Scout Troop #173 at Saint Joseph Church. He is most proud of the fact that both of his sons are Eagle Scouts.
The funeral, with full military honors, will be held Tuesday, February 22, from the Sitkowski & Malboeuf Funeral Home, 340 School Street, with a Mass at 10:00 AM in Saint Louis Church, 14 Lake Street. Burial will be in Saint Anthony’s Cemetery. A calling hour will be from 8:15 to 9:15 Tuesday morning in the funeral home.
The family requests that flowers be omitted. Memorial donations may be made to either the Saint Louis School Endowment Fund, 15 Lake Street, Webster, MA 01570 or to the Client Activities Fund, c/o Elder Day Services, 196 West Main Street, Dudley, MA 01571