Bruce Keith

Bruce Keith, 86, died peacefully in Charlottesville, Virginia on April 10, 2021. Mr. Keith grew up in Highland Springs and was a graduate of the University of Virginia. He began his career in personnel work in Richmond and moved to Charlottesville in 1973 to serve as the city's Director of Personnel, later Human Resources, a position he held for twenty-five years. He did innovative work in classification and compensation and was an active member of the state personnel association, serving a term as president. Mr. Keith served on the board of what became Worksource Enterprises for several years and on the personnel committee of the Senior Center, now the Center. He later became a member of its board and was president for a year. Following his retirement, Mr. Keith conducted a classification study for the Monticello Area Community Action Agency. He also served as a volunteer at the Charlottesville-Albemarle Historical Society and at the Center. Mr. Keith also participated in Charlottesville's sister city partnerships with Poggio i Caiano, Italy, and Besancon, France. In his later years, he lived at the Colonnades and enjoyed playing the piano at happy hour. Mr. Keith's great avocation was church music. He was an active member of Charlottesville's chapter of the American Guild of Organists, was organist for a number of years at Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church, and later "played around", as he once quipped, at several churches around town as a substitute, including at St. Paul's Memorial Church, of which he was a member. Mr. Keith was married to the former Beverly Jesse, who predeceased him. He is survived by a brother, Willis Keith of Richmond, VA, and two cousins, Dorothy Johenning and Rita Pennell, also of Richmond; his two sons, Barry Keith of Charlottesville and Allen Keith and his wife Stephanie of Stuart, Virginia; by Beth Keith; and by grandchildren Hannah, Eli and Leah Keith, and Emily and Erin Keith. A funeral service will be held at St. Paul's on Friday, April 23, at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, friends are invited to offer a gift of thanksgiving for Mr. Keith's life to St. Paul's, the Center, the Hospice of the Piedmont, or a local charitable organization of your choosing.

Bruce Keith

December 2, 1934 - April 10, 2021