D. Keith Kleven, MS, PT, ATC, 76, passed away on Thursday, May 30, 2019, after a long and courageous battle against Alzheimer’s disease. Preceded in death by his parents, Berger and Ethel Kleven, brother Ken Kleven, and sister, Susan Thomas, Keith is survived by his wife Mary Kleven, sister Carol (Evan) Love, sister-in-law Jordis Kleven, brother-in-law Darryl Thomas, daughter Anne (Greg) Pulley, sons David (Karin) and Mark Kleven, step-son Bryan (Kristin) Wert, step-daughter Jessica (Christina) Wert, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Growing up in Salt Lake City, Keith loved playing all sports, especially the game of golf, beginning with caddying at the Salt Lake City Country Club as a teenager in the 60’s. He was also a finalist in the Utah Junior Golf Open. As an avid skier, he was a member of the ski patrol in his youth, and loved spending his winters on the slopes in Deer Valley. He thoroughly enjoyed teaching his children and grandchildren the sport and competitively skied with anyone who could keep up with him on the black diamond slopes. He practiced what he preached and kept fit by running daily or pounding away on his stairmaster . Keith and his wife loved to vacation with dear friends and made frequent trips visiting out-of-state family members throughout the years.
Keith became a physical therapist because of his love of sports and how the human body worked. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Brigham Young University and attended Children’s Hospital, School of Physical Therapy in Los Angeles, completing a one-year residency program at the University of Southern California. Following graduation, he completed a one-year internship offered through the USC Medical School Research & Training Center which emphasized teaching, research and advanced clinical skills. Keith then conducted a research project for a year at Orthopaedic Hospital, L.A. County Medical Center, UCLA Medical Center and Rancho Los Amigo Rehabilitation Institute to complete a second Masters thesis.
In 1973 Keith partnered in opening a private practice orthopaedic physical therapy clinic, and in 1996 formed his own practice, the Kleven Institute of Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation in Las Vegas. Throughout the years, he initiated several new programs in the community and taught physical therapy courses part-time at the UNLV. He earned his stellar reputation by treating all his patients equally, no matter their status.
Keith was a founding member of the American Hand Society and the Sports Physical Therapy Section of the American Physical Therapy Association. He was a member of the State Nevada Physical Therapy Board of Examiners for many years, an officer in several sections of the National APTA, and the Nevada chapter of APTA, received the prestigious Ron Peyton Award, Sports Section of the APTA in 1992 and again honored by SPTS in 2016. Keith was inducted into the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame in 2005 for his many years of untiring work with amateur and professional athletes in Nevada and throughout the country.
In addition to being a physical therapist, Keith was also a certified and licensed athletic trainer. His education and background led him to working with world-class athletes, dancers and performers, both at the local and national level. He was trainer/therapist for the United States Gymnastics, junior and senior national teams, 1984 Olympic Games, World Championships junior and senior, and United States Boxing team, taking him to four different continents in the world. He was also therapist/trainer for boxers Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson and Greg Haugen; golfers Tiger Woods, Mark O’Meara, Jonathan Byrd, baseball players Frank Tanana, Greg & Mike Maddux, Shane Victorino, as well as numerous other professional and amateur athletes. One of his greatest joys was working with the UNLV Golf Team for many years, watching many move on to professional golf careers.
Viewing will take place at Palm Northwest Mortuary at 6701 N Jones Blvd. Las Vegas, NV on Friday, June 14, 2019 from 4:00-7:00pm; funeral services will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 10550 Alta Drive, Las Vegas, NV on Saturday, June 15, 2019 with a viewing at 2pm, services at 3pm and burial at Palm Northwest Mortuary at 4:30pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the D. Keith Kleven Scholarship Fund at UNLV. Checks may be made out to: UNLV Foundation, memo: D. Keith Kleven Scholarship; mail to: UNLV Foundation, Box 451006, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89154-1006. Online gifts may be made at: https://netcommunity.unlv.edu/givetoalliedhealth Select “Keith Kleven Endowed Scholarship” in the drop-down menu.
“Winners Never Finish” © DKKleven
