David Walton Keith, Sr. the eldest of five children, was born in Houston, Texas on August 5th,1940, to Walter T. Keith Jr. and Marjorie Maxine Walton. David later had two step-parents: John C. Lowery and Josephine T. Keith. Affectionately known as Nomi, he is survived by his wife, Sylvia Gallien Keith, three younger sisters; Patricia Lowery Segura, Judith Elaine Moon and Cynthia Lowery Hood, four children; David W. Keith, Jr., Mary Jo Lafaye, Amanda Keith, and Candace Keith, nine grandchildren, one great grandchild, nine nieces and nephews, and many others. David was predeceased by his eldest child, Deborah Kay Keith, in 1984, and by his younger brother, John W. Keith, in 2013.
David spent most of his life in Houston and some of his childhood years in California on visits to see his mother, Maxine, his step-father, J.C., and his four younger siblings. Before graduating high school, David married his high school sweetheart, Sylvia Sidney Gallien, and a year later their first child, Deborah Kay Keith, was born. After obtaining his GED, David went on to attend the University of Houston where he earned a Master’s degree in Education, graduating summa cum laude, while working alongside his father and step-mother, Walter and Josephine, to build their business, Keith Distributing Company. David excelled at teaching emotionally disturbed children as a special education teacher in the Houston Independent School District for several years.
He loved to learn and went on to become fluent in Spanish and then in French, the latter in order to help his youngest two children with their French studies.
He later became the co-owner of a small yet enduring furniture business, along with his wife Sylvia.
David liked to exercise and could be seen jogging forward and backward along the city streets of Houston with one of his many boxer dogs. He was an avid swimmer and spent a lot of time swimming laps with his two younger daughters who were on swim teams. He also liked horses and owned several of them throughout his life, including the ones he bought for his children. David loved taking his family on road trips and camping, especially in Yellowstone National Park. Like his parents, he was very thrifty and understood the value of a dollar. He moved with Sylvia, Amanda and Candace to Hendersonville, Tennessee in 1993 where they bought a home with a view of Old Hickory Lake. David and Sylvia enjoyed their retirement on the edge of the lake looking out at the waterfowl, deer and other wildlife from their living room picture window. He will be missed as a husband, father, brother, uncle and grandfather. Following a decade long affliction with prostate cancer, he peacefully went to be with his Lord on the morning of Tuesday, January 12, 2021, at only 80 years of age.

A Graveside Service will be held at Earthman Resthaven Cemetery, Houston, TX, at 3pm Monday, January 18, 2021.