Like so many others, I was extremely proud of my big brother and  consider his life to be an example of true success. Born to Murry and  Mary Ellen Heithcock, my brother Keith Douglas Heithcock spent  twenty-three years making an unforgettable impact on the people and  places he touched. Guided by a set of core values, he managed to achieve  his personal goals without compromising his commitment to serving  others. His strong faith in God focused his energy and inspired him to  get involved in several church-related activities. While in high school,  he spent hundreds of hours raising money that was used to send young  men and women to summer camps held by the Fellowship of Christian  Athletes (FCA). After arriving at West Point, he continued to serve in  the FCA and started teaching Sunday School. He went on to teach all  ofhis four years at the Academy and eventually became the Superintendent  of Sunday Schools. In addition to his involvement with the church,  Keith was proud to serve as Vice President of the Class of ’83. Just as  remarkable as his capacity for service was his ability to generate good  times. A master of persuasion, he talked classmates into performing a  variety of escapades, such as hanging banners from sky-high water towers  and entering “macho man” contests. When the weekends rolled around, he  gathered friends for road trips to the places where memories were made.

One of Keith’s “tightest buds,” Larry Kinde, was able to capture  Keith’s charismatic personality in his 1983 Howitzer biography: “When  ‘Hollywood Heithcock’ left Dixie to come north, he brought a hilarious  Southern wit, a nickname for everyone he met, and a magnetic charm that  continues to work wonders. ‘Captain Fun’ knew when to work and when to  play, and made the most of both. Keith’s friendship has brightened many  lives, and will guide him through a successful life.”

After  graduation, he completed Intelligence School at Fort Huachuca, Arizona,  Airborne and Air Assault schools and finally, flight training at Fort  Rucker, where he was the Honor Graduate of the Officer Basic Course. His  next and final assignment was flying Cobra gunships for Troop D, 229th  Tactical Helicopter Battalion, 101st Airborne Division. During this  assignment, he was killed in an automobile accident.

Throughout  his later years at West Point and his subsequent years as an officer, no  one knew Keith better than his good buddy Bob Wood. Talking about their  time together as roommates at flight school, Bob said Keith’s “success  seemed effortless compared to those who would eat, drink, and sleep the  subject matter. He not only loved life to the fullest, but did so always  ending up at the top of the pile. Living with him and being around him  all the time, I was surprised to hear that he ended up number one in his  class. He wasn’t there for the applause or accolades, in fact he always  played down his many accomplishments.

“Everyone who met Keith  loved him. He made you feel important by taking an interest in what you  said and did. He remembered everyone’s name or made one up for you.  Although some of them seemed ridiculous, they always made you smile and  showed that he cared for you. “Phrases would flow off his lips and stick  in the minds of friends and family to use again and again, even today.  He would often greet you with ‘you bout a good dude,’ the reply to which  was always ‘you another.’ When you did him a favor, he would place you  on good dude status.

“Just by being himself, Keith was an  inspiration who could make you feel like you were the best and that you  could do anything. He would follow through with everything he said, and  he kept the pressure on you to give it your all. He would do anything  for you and you wanted to do anything for him.

“It was tough  saying good-bye to him after flight school, because we were going to  miss him being around, livening up the room and making light of the  pressure we all faced, hearing his high pitched laugh, having him call  us by the new nickname he just made up for us. He was a true friend, and  we do miss him.”

While at West Point, Keith posted many ofhis  favorite quotations above his desk. Among them was an anonymous  quotations which said, “A man really never dies while there are those on  earth who love him...A man is never gone as long as there are those who  remember him with fondness and as long as his memory evokes a wistful  smile.” Indeed, memories of Keith keep us smiling and will always warm  our hearts. Losing him was a tragedy, but Chaplain Bob Covington had the  right perspective when he wrote, “Now we have someone dear to us in  heaven, cheering us all on! We will all be better for knowing such an  outstanding young man. Keith was loved by everyone!

His brother and classmates