Keith Atkinson

Keith Earl “John” Atkinson January 10, 1929 – December 16, 2024 Keith Earl “John” Atkinson passed away peacefully in Albany on December 16, 2024, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on January 10, 1929, in Newberg, Oregon to Earl and Iris Mills Atkinson. He moved to Alsea, Oregon, within a few years. His mother died when he was 11 years old, leaving his father to raise three young children while running the Alsea Feed Store, creamery and locker plant. A short time later, a wonderful woman answered a newspaper ad and came to care for the children. About 5 years later they were married and “Peg the Pie Lady” became their “mother” whom they all loved dearly. Keith graduated from Alsea High School in 1947. In his youth, he was quite an athlete, playing football, basketball and baseball. He was a large kid and has some funny stories about opposing teams thinking he was much older. After high school, Keith attended Oregon State University to play football and baseball. That didn’t last long!! It was rumored that when he found out he had to also attend classes, the appeal was gone. Keith still aspired to be a baseball pitcher. He was planning to try out for the San Francisco Seals, a minor league baseball team, until his dreams were cut short by an accident that damaged his pitching hand. Keith was drafted into the U.S. Army in October 1950. Upon his discharge in September 1952, he went to work for the Oregon Highway Department. After marrying Fay Woods in 1954, he and Fay moved back to Alsea, and he began working for Pete Miller Logging. He continued working in the forest industries as a logger and millworker for the remainder of his work life. In 1967, Keith and Fay moved to Corvallis, where they remained until 2002, when they moved to Albany. Keith was an active member of the Lobster Valley Church of Christ, traveling as often as possible on Sundays from Albany, over the Alsea Mountain and Lobster Valley Highway! As a lifelong athlete and sports fan, Keith loved watching and rooting with Fay for their favorite teams: any Beaver team, Seattle Seahawks, Seattle Mariners, Portland Trailblazers and their kids’ and grandkids’ various football, basketball, baseball, soccer, rugby, gymnastics, volleyball teams! He and Fay loved fishing, crabbing, and clam digging; traveling to spend time with children and grandchildren were also favorite activities! Keith was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Fay Atkinson; his sister, Joyce Pierpoint, his brother, Walt Atkinson, and his parents. He is survived by two daughters Diana Tyson (Glenn) and Karen Burch (Michael) and two sons Tom Atkinson (Debra) and Tim Atkinson (Tanja); grandchildren Michelle Burch, Ashley Shankle (Sean), Aaron Tyson (Margot), Danielle Lauxen (Jake), Whitney Burch, Cortnee Harris, Teija Brannan (Seth) and Tiana Atkinson; and great-grandchildren Yasmin and Mikaela Woodard, Gabriel Bienhoff, JJ Duckett, Jacob, Jasper, Jameson and Jasmine Lauxen, and Cora and Olivia Tyson. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews on all sides of the family! The family would like to thank Samaritan Evergreen Hospice House for the wonderful, loving care provided during his short stay. A funeral service will be held at McHenry Funeral Home on Saturday, January 11, followed by a catered meal at the Atkinson home in Albany. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Lobster Valley Church of Christ or Samaritan Evergreen Hospice House through McHenry Funeral Home.

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Keith Atkinson

January 10, 1929 - December 16, 2024