Our journey began in kindergarten and lasted a lifetime.  As freshmen at WVU, we both pledged the same fraternity and were roommates our last 3 years of college.  We were inseparable during those years including working together one summer at  a restaurant in Atlantic City.  We even worked together a couple of years in Pittsburgh at Lever Brothers where Keith ultimately enjoyed a highly successful career. Keith is the only man I've ever known who never uttered a complaint or disparaging word about anyone. His character was above reproach. I will miss him until we are re-united again one day in Heaven.  Until then, I will hang on to memories of countless hours of basketball, touch football, card games, margaritas on St Pete Beach and dinners with our wives and friends.  I consider Keith as the brother I never had.

Judy, I am so sorry for you and your family on Keith’s passing. I always looked up to Keith because of his high moral standards and integrity. He had empathy and understanding for everyone.  He will
Be greatly missed.  Don Eckers.

Keith was a great friend!

My fondest memory was playing Pigskin Strategy with him many times in the interval between the end of classes and the beginning of band practice.  Also we often played tag football with Jack an Joe Byrd on the vacant lot near their houses.

In college, we roomed together in Atlantic City as we worked summer jobs along with Jack Rowe and some other of our Fairmont friends.

Keith was a good, kind soul.

I will miss him.

Dear Judy and Carol,
From our whole family-- much gratitude for the great role Keith played in George's life. He was an open-hearted, thoughtful person to work for and with. George often spoke of his high regard for Keith. 
Judy, both you and Keith were wonderfully welcoming to us when we moved to Pennsylvania. And, in turn, it was such a joy to spend that time together in Paris! 
My heart goes out to your family over these days, and I send warmest hugs to you all from all the Alexanders.

I had the pleasure of getting to know Keith over many years visiting my dad (Charlie Law) in St. Pete Beach.  Keith had an affable, kind, good-natured way about him - which did not change even in the face of hardship.  We had a friendly professional rivalry and he razzed me about being a P&Ger, but at least we agreed on football.  :) My main memory of Keith will be the unspoken lessons he and my dad showed me about lifelong friendship.  It isn't easy to maintain close ties over many years.  It takes effort, it takes investment, it takes loyalty and heart.  Keith and my dad had a true lifelong friendship, and I am grateful to have seen it!

My deepest condolences for the family. Keith was a pillar of wisdom, kindness, love and humor. His legacy lives on with the family.

My heartfelt condolences to Judy and Carol and all those whose loved Keith.
I first met Keith many years ago when he was a field operation analyst traveling the country, and I was a sales rep in Philadelphia. We became very good friends throughout our careers and I know he will be missed by all those who knew him. May this special leader and friend rest in peace as he is in the hands of the Lord.

Keith lived across the street from me and his grandparents lived next door from my birth through when I left home to attend graduate school in Michigan. My brother, Jack, and Keith were my best friends. In high school, he drafted me to work with him on the stage crew for all of the events at Fairmont West High. We spent many nights driving around town is his dad’s blue and white buck special. He took me with him to visit Ocean City when I was still in high school. Even at WVU, he tried to get me to rush the Beta’s, his beloved fraternity. The last time I saw Keith, he dropped by to visit my store in NYC. He was always the cool guy who befriended a gawky kid from the neighborhood. He remained my hero whom I'll never forget.
Joe Byrd

May 2013  - St. Pete Beach, FL
"THE. GUYS". -- Keith, Rick, Tom, Charlie
We all apparently "passed" kindergarten together; 12 years later all graduated from the same high school together; received college degrees (3 different schools); and were friends for a lifetime.  Keith was a super guy and a wonderful man and we who remain will miss him so very much.

Keith and I ate many cheeseburgers with drinks, and watched numerous sunsets at Sandbar Bill's on the beach. I don't believe he ever admitted to seeing a "green flash." He was the reason I moved to Florida in 2011. We talked with "locals" as well as visitors from many states and a few foreign countries. Our discussion topics at the beach and on the 46th Avenue bridge after daily bicycle rides were widely varied and often included memories of past days, and sometimes private personal matters of all sorts. We traced our friendship to kindergarten some 74 years ago. I was honored and so fortunate to be one of Keith's very close friends.

So many phenomenal memories with Keith. It was a privilege to have worked with him for so many years & to call him my friend.

I had the pleasure of attending several  WVU games with Keith, Charlie Law, Rick Tennant and my dad, Tom Llewellyn.  They all grew up together in Fairmont, WV.  They would all meet in Morgantown to go see a game and I was lucky enough to get to share that experience with them.  I always looked forward to seeing them with each other reminiscing about their times growing up.  From tailgating in the church parking lot eating pepperoni rolls to sitting in the stands cheering on the Mountaineers.   This picture is from October 15, 2005.  WVU was losing most of the game and the stadium had started to clear out.  Being true gold and blue fans, we stayed.  We saw the 'eers rally to win in 3 overtimes.  This memory popped up on my phone a few weeks ago and made me smile.  Keith was such a genuinely nice man.  I'm glad I got to share some time with him and his childhood friends.

I believe that it’s fair to say that I was Keith’s friend for his entire life. We were born two weeks apart across the street from each other. We went to school together from Kindergarten thru High School.  We both attended WVU but in different majors. I was delighted to reconnect with him in the past few years, and he would send me notes on messages I posed online.  I was shocked to hear of his illness, but he remained upbeat.

Growing up we loved to play corkball, a form of baseball played with a cork wrapped in tape and a broom stick. We played on the street in front of our houses. Then we would play a baseball board game on his front porch. I don’t remember how many hundreds of games we played.

Keith was a dear friend and I’ll miss him greatly.

Dr. Jack Byrd, Jr.

OBITUARY

Keith Dalton DeVault

January 7, 1945 – October 25, 2023

Beach Memorial Chapel

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