Lemuel Grady Keith, Jr. passed away surrounded by his family on January 20, 2016, at the age of 88. A Knoxville native, Lem graduated from Young High School in 1946, attended the University of Tennessee and Knoxville Business College. He was employed by TVA and retired in 1986 after 35 years of service. Lem was an ardent UT football fan and attended all home games from 1938-2009, except one year while serving in the U.S. Army. He also faithfully attended UT Men’s and Women’s basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball games. He worshipped the Lady Vols basketball program, attended all of the home games since their conception in 1974, traveled to most out of town games and tournaments on bus tours and was the donor of the Lem and Hilda Keith Lady Vols Scholarship. Lem possessed a beautiful bass voice and shared his talent as a soloist and “crooner" in the James King Chorus, where he met his wife "torch soloist" Hilda Coulter. They performed together on several radio shows including the Midday Merry-Go-Round on WNOX. A member of the Knoxville Choral Society in his early years, Lem always sang with his home church choir, Vestal UMC, until 1996. He continued to sing through the years with Knoxville’s Nativity Pageant, the Billy Graham Crusade Choir, and later with groups in the Shannondale Retirement Community. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lemuel Grady, Sr and Adah Keith; Hilda Coulter Keith, his wife of 61 years; nephew, Matthew Keith Christian USMC; and brother-in-law Herbert Coulter USAC. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law David and Nancy Keith, two grandchildren Presley and Coulter all of Knoxville; daughter Deborah Keith of New York, NY; sister and brother-in law Martha and Bruce Farrelly of Knoxville; nephew Bill Christian, Jr. and wife Sherry of Greenback, TN; sister-in-law Carolyn Coulter, niece, Ann Coulter Orr and husband Allen, and great nieces Christen and Catherine Orr all of Lilburn, GA; dear friend Mary Bates and special cousin, Sarah Branum. The family will receive friends 1:00 PM until 2:30 PM Sunday, January 24, 2016 in the Chapel of Berry Funeral Home with a funeral service to follow at 2:30 PM. Rev. Tom Seay will be officiating. A private, family interment service will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please make memorials to Lem’s son’s charity, National Association to Protect Children, PO Box 2187 Knoxville, TN 37901 or online at www.protect.org. Online condolences may be shared at www.berryfuneralhome.com
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