KEVIN KEIM obituary

Kevin Patrick Keim, 47, of Havre died peacefully Monday, Oct. 9, 2006, after fighting an extended and courageous battle with ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease.

His memorial service will be 3 p.m. Monday at Fifth Avenue Christian Church with Pastor Rowlie Hutton officiating. A fellowship luncheon will be held immediately after the service at the church. Kevin was born April 20, 1959, to Betty and Bill Keim in Reading, Pa. He graduated from Schuylkill High School in 1977. He attended Northwest Community College in Powell, Wyo., and Montana State University in Bozeman. Kevin then became a business owner of Intermountain Well Analysts, a consulting geology business. After his business venture, he was a consulting geologist himself and worked on many well sites in Montana and Wyoming and also spent time in Venezuela. In 1992, he met Cindy Berquist, ending his extended bachelorhood. They wed in Billings on Nov. 26, 1993, bringing to a close what he referred to as his “first life.” At that time, Kevin began his career as an investment representative for Edward Jones. The family moved to Green River, Wyo., where Kevin opened an office in neighboring Rock Springs. When the Jones office in Havre became open in 1995, the family jumped at the opportunity to return to Montana, where Kevin felt he belonged. In May 1995, he also legally adopted Cindy's children, Bethanie and Andy. Kevin's love of the outdoors was legendary. His stories always came to life when he told them. He was never happier than when he was sitting in a treestand. Some of Kevin's proudest hunting moments were when Bethanie shot her elk and he and Andy tracked the mulie. His favorite possessions were his sixpoint elk, which hangs at his office, and the “Wall of Death” at the Keim home. Kevin had a lovable sense of humor, wit, talent for storytelling and warrior-like spirit. Kevin was preceded in death by his maternal and paternal grandparents; and infant sisters, Karen and Kim; and his faithful hunting partner, Jack. Survivors include his parents, Betty and Bill Keim of Havre; wife, Cindy; daughter, Bethanie; son, Andy; parents-in-laws, Alan and Dianne Berquist of Havre; sister-in-law, Robin (Joe) Allegro and children of Simi Valley, Calif., brother-in-law, Brett Berquist and girls of Kalamazoo, Mich.; and adopted family, Chuck and Marcy Howe of Billings and Joe and Linda Coco and children of Whitefish; and many, many very close friends. Memorial contributions in Kevin's honor may be made to the Fifth Avenue Christian Church Youth Center. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral Home.