Larry Keech

Larry, who lived in Greensboro with his wife Brenda, was a sportswriter, columnist and editor at the News & Record from 1968 until his retirement in 2004.

He worked in sports departments his entire career. After graduating from Washington and Lee University in 1962, Keech joined the staff of the Roanoke Times. Three years later, he moved to the Newport News Daily Press in the Tidewater region of Virginia, where he met and married Brenda.

Larry was born in York, Pa., in October 1940, the son of Milton and Frances Keech. He grew up in Timonium, Md., a Baltimore suburb, and graduated from Towson High School in 1958. He earned a journalism degree from Washington and Lee, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity.

He is survived by his wife; his brother Mike Keech and sister-in-law Jill Keech of Williamsburg, Va.; nephew Scott Veazey (wife Katie and daughter Sydney of Colfax, mother Grace Veazey of Williamsburg); niece Tessa Veazey of Alexandria, Va.; and nephew David Veazey of Gloucester, Va.

Larry recently said that he experienced the joys of being a grandparent through his close relationship with next-door neighbors SARJ Russell and Oscar Russell, who call him Mr. Larry.

Larry's beagle Bunny will miss their frequent walks.

Larry was drawn to sports as a child of the 1940s. His first heroes jumped off the cover of Life magazine: quarterback Johnny Lujack of Notre Dame and consummate hitter Ted Williams of the Boston Red Sox. While in elementary school, he compiled elaborate scrapbooks with published photos of athletes. He filled composition books with stats and standings from seasons just completed and meticulously made predictions on the eve of new seasons -- habits of orderly precision that carried over into his career.

One of his greatest assets as a North Carolina sportswriter was the absence of bias toward any of the four ACC schools. In retirement, Keech retained his affinity for Notre Dame football and the Boston Celtics as well as for road trips, traveling to Scotland, England, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia.

Plans for a celebration of life will be announced later. Memorial contributions may be made to Jan's Animal Rescue, located at 1824 Andrew Farms Rd., Whitsett, N.C. 27377, or a charity of choice.