Keith Derwood Harris

Keith Derwood Harris was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on February 14, 1957. He was the second oldest born to the late Joseph William Harris Sr. and Lou Pearl Harris.

“Keyes,” as he was affectionately known, was educated in the Pittsburgh Public School System attending Peabody High School. Keith was a superb baseball player and received an offer to play for the Pittsburgh Pirates due to the suggestion of the late Roberto Clemente and Willie Stargell. After careful consideration, Keith turned down the offer.

Keith loved to eat at the Original’s restaurant located in the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh. While frequenting the restaurant, his eyes locked onto a beautiful young lady whose name was Rita Jackson, who was a waitress. After several attempts to have her as his waitress, finally it happened. The two introduced themselves and thus the love story began. After they united in marriage, they relocated to Florida where Keith became a boxer and trained under Chris Dundee at the Fifth Street Gym in Miami Beach, Florida.

To this union five children: Keisha, Keith, Krystal, Kristina, and Katelyn were born. He was an excellent husband and father who loved and adored his family. His family was his life:

Keisha: “Dad was a huge Steelers fan and enjoyed watching games with the family. I also remember how one day when the car broke down, Dad pushed the car all the way to the gas station. He was our SUPERMAN.”

Keith: “Dad was extremely handy and could fix anything. He was also very personable and a resourceful father.” “He took the time to show me how to tie a tie.”

Krystal: “During Christmas, Dad would decorate the house and make it one of the most beautiful homes in the neighborhood. He made every holiday a special occasion and a memorable one.”

Kristina: “Dad was an excellent cook, and enjoyed watching cooking shows and teaching us how to cook. We could always call him for a recipe.”

Katelyn: “Birthdays were extremely important to Dad. He made all of us feel very special and he supported us in everything. I could always count on seeing him at my cheerleading competitions, and I was so excited to hear him calling my name and cheering me on.”

Children: “We watched how our dad treated our mother and how he loved her. He would always say to us….” That our mom was his partner and best friend, and that we his children were his greatest gift and achievement."

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