Keith Wayne Kerbaugh

Keith's service can be viewed here. https://www.facebook.com/CalvaryFargo/videos/459445312464778/

Keith's tribute video can be viewed here. https://www.tributeslides.com/tributes/show/RP7SGSCTRNP8GNZG

Keith Wayne Kerbaugh, 71, went to be with Jesus on January 2, surrounded by his wife and children at Essentia Hospital in Fargo. Keith was born on August 5, 1950, in Fort Eustis, VA. His father, Les, was career military, so Keith grew up on various army bases. After Les retired, they moved to Fort Myers Beach in Florida. When Keith was in middle school, his parents decided to sell everything and sail to Australia. After experiencing many storms, the boat shipwrecked off the coast of Mexico. That led them back to Oriska, ND, where his grandparents lived.

Keith graduated from Oriska High School in 1968 and joined the Army in 1970, where he served in the 82nd Airborne Division for two years and the Army Reserve for five years.

Keith graduated from NDSU and married Brenda Kay Useldinger on April 3, 1976. He later attended Drake and the University of Oregon for a Ph.D. in Adapted Physical Education. After they married, Keith and Brenda moved to Fergus Falls for one year, then Newton, Iowa for two years, and Eugene, OR for 11 ½ years.

In Eugene, Keith attended U of O, then worked for Oregon Special Olympics as the State Program Director. He later ran the business office for the National Academy of Artistic Gymnastics, where he was the gymnasts' weight training coach. Keith enjoyed coaching and working with children, and his favorite sport was wrestling, where he loved coaching his son and son's, teammates. He also taught Sunday School at our church, Faith Center.

The Kerbaugh family moved back to Fargo in 1991. He worked with various companies, and later taught classes at the University of Mary, worked for MEPS, Census, and more. Keith was the ultimate event organizer, thriving on organizing events of all sizes. Once back in Fargo, he again became very involved in the wrestling community, organizing tournaments such as the ND State Greco Wrestling Tournament, coaching, as well as managing large numbers of volunteers for the first nine years of the USA Junior National Wrestling Tournament held in the FargoDome. He spent a lot of individual time with the wrestlers he coached. He was active in the American Legion, commander of Post 2, and attended Legion College. He gave 100% effort to every project he undertook.

Keith enjoyed traveling and spending time with his children and grandchildren. He loved taking them camping, to amusement parks, and even white-water rafting. He especially loved surprising people and several times surprised his family with a vacation without telling them where they were going. Keith and Brenda would "capture" their grandchildren and take them on many trips over the years. He also enjoyed gardening, bike riding, and hosting people for dinner.

On July 1, 2014, a milestone event in our lives occurred. Keith had a very successful kidney transplant at the VA in Portland, OR. The doctors told him he won the lottery with such a perfect match. It was a gift from God!

Keith was very active in their church, Calvary Fargo. He loved going to the men's Friday morning bible study, BSF, Upward Sports, Fireside Chat, teaching the children at Awana, serving on the Trustees Committee, and more. He loved to entertain and cook food for people. He planned and cooked many meals for the men's groups. He loved sharing Jesus with others.

Surviving family members are wife Brenda, son Joshua Kerbaugh, daughter Jessica (Chris) Campbell, granddaughters Taylor and Kylah Corcoran, and brother Blake Kerbaugh. He was preceded in death by his father, Lester W. Kerbaugh, mother, Kathy (Mary Katherine) Kerbaugh, and brother David Kerbaugh.