Arnold E. Keith, 83, of Derry, NH, died Wednesday, November 19, 2008 in Derry. Mr. Keith was born in Boston, MA on July 31, 1925, a son of the late Percival and Sybil (Annis) Keith. He lived most of his adult life in Derry, coming from Londonderry. Mr. Keith was a graduate of Pinkerton Academy, Class of 1944, and Wittenberg College, Springfield, OH in conjunction with pilot training with the Army Air Corps. He was a veteran of WWII. Mr. Keith was a letter carrier for 40 years in the Derry Post Office, retiring in 1985. He and his wife Dorothy were foster parents to 21 children from 1941 to 1969. He was a former Scout Master for Troop 129 in Derry for many years, receiving an award for 60 years of service to the Scouts. Mr. Keith was also the former president of Local 1198, National Letter Carriers Association and had just received his 60 years membership award. He was Deacon Emeritus for the First Baptist Church in Derry, a Sunday school and vacation bible school teacher as well as a member of the church choir and a custodian in the church.
He is survived by a son, James A. Keith of Long Eddy, NY, two daughters, Ellen D. Peters and her husband John of Salem, NH, Kathleen Haigh-Trodden and her husband Liam of Phillips, ME, seven grandchildren, Matthew J. Peters, Daniel C. Peters, Kate Haigh Decarlo, Peter F. Haigh, Jr., Patricia J. Haigh, Heidi L. Haigh and Allen J. Haigh, six great-grandchildren, Anna S. Decarlo, Peter D. Decarlo, Audrey F. Costello, Jacob Haigh, Owen Haigh and Jasper Figueres, a brother, Mark Keith of Clinton, CT and a sister, Nancy Murphy of Madison, ME. He was predeceased by his wife, Dorothy E. (Boyce) Keith in January of this year and by a brother, Calvin Keith.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 10:00am in the Peabody Funeral Homes and Crematorium, 15 Birch St., Derry. Calling hours were on Saturday from 9:30am until the 10:00am service time in the funeral home. The burial with military honors followed in the Forest Hill Cemetery, Derry. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Abiding Memorial Fund C/O First Baptist Church, 4 Crystal Ave., Derry, NH 03038 or to the Ararat Armenian Congregational Church, 2 Salem St., Salem, NH 03079.