A. Keith

Age 60, a resident of Albuquerque since 1985, died May 23, 2013. He is survived by his wife Dr. E. Diane Bowers and their daughter Sabrina Keith of Albuquerque; mother and stepfather Bonnie and Ed Castillo of Honokaa, HI; sister Leslie Whited of Mountain View, HI, sister Jeri Keith of Colorado Springs, CO, step-sister and husband Cass and Michael Ho of Midway UT, stepbrother Chris Castillo of Ramona, CA, two brothers-in-law, Wes Bowers and Ken Bowers; many nieces and nephews, four dogs, and numerous friends. Clark was preceded in death by his father A. Clark Keith Jr., beloved niece Amanda Whited, and brother in law Maurice Bowers. Clark was born in Lubbock, TX, lived until middle school years in Amarillo, then moved with his family to Colorado Springs, CO. After graduating from Cheyenne Mountain High School where he was a decorated member of the swimming and wrestling teams, he was accepted to Dartmouth Cllege where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1975 with a double major in mathematics and physics. He stayed on at Dartmouth's Thayer School of Engineering to earn a Bachelor of Engineering degree in 1977. At Thayer School he met another graduate student who would eventually become his wife and life mate. Clark took an engineering job in the Los Angeles area in 1977. Diane followed in 1978. They both worked as engineers while Diane sorted out her medical career aspirations. In 1981 they moved to Houston, TX so that Diane could attend medical school. In Houston, Clark worked for Ford Aerospace Corporation, providing integral engineering support to several space shuttle missions. He also found the time to earn an MBA from the University of Houston in 1984. A computerized system matching medical school graduates with training programs brought the couple to Albuquerque in 1985. The land of enchantment captured their hearts, and they made it their permanent home. Clark had a long illustrious career in the aerospace industry, working with the Aerospace Corporation supporting the Air Force Research Laboratories and other US government entities. He received numerous awards including the prestigious Aerospace Corporation President's Award. He developed a passion for running and completed 10 marathons, including the Pike's Peak Marathon. He was also an avid scuba diver, an avocation that carried him and Diane to numerous beautiful places around the world. In 1998 Clark and Diane welcomed the light of their life daughter Sabrina. A few years later, Sabrina and Diane proudly shivered in the predawn hours at Vandenberg AFB watching the launch of one of Clark's pivotal satellite creations. A memorial service will be held Saturday, June 1, 2013, 4:00 pm at FRENCH - Wyoming. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Animal Humane NM, or the charity of your choice.

A. Keith

September 6, 1952 - May 23, 2013