Obituary - Keith D. Flanders, 1969 SWCS grad

JAMESTOWN, N. Y. - I received a note today that Keith Flanders, Class of '69, died last Friday.

His obituary from the Jamestown Post Journal is reprinted below.

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3/20/2007 - Keith D. Flanders (‘‘Flan”), 55, of 58 School St., Panama, passed away at 11:30 p.m. Friday (March 16, 2007) in the M.C.V. Hospital in Richmond, Va. He was born July 5, 1951, in Jamestown, the son of the late Lewis W. Flanders and Carol S. Ecker. He was a 1969 graduate of Southwestern Central High School and had also attended Jamestown Community College.

Keith was employed by Hagemeyer as a store coordinator and also by the Town of Busti as a court officer. He was previously employed by Quality Markets for many years. Keith was a volunteer fireman for the Village of Lakewood for more than 11 years, answering close to 2,000 alarms. He was also an EMT for seven years and a dispatcher for the Lakewood Police Department. A devoted husband and father, Keith loved to travel and was an avid outdoorsman. His son and his love of the outdoors led him to be an active Boy Scout Leader. He had fond memories of his hike in the Alps with his daughter and also part of the Appalachian Trail. In earlier years he had toured the country camping at most of the major National Parks in the Rockies and western states. Keith loved watching the Bills games with his family and was a devoted Minnesota Twins fan.

Keith was a resident fixture at Erickson’s Restaurant where he spent much of his time chatting with the regulars or just enjoying quiet time over a cup of coffee. Keith loved a wide variety of music, his most recent favorite being that of Big Leg Emma.

Keith’s compassionate, caring ways were a comfort to countless people. He showed others an unconditional love that literally changed their lives. He will always be remembered for his ready smile, open arms and kind heart.

Surviving are his wife Candy, whom he married Nov. 25, 1976; his son, Sean Bernhardt of Jamestown; his daughter, Keylyn Flanders of New Bern, N.C.; two brothers: Jeff (Patti) Flanders and Neil Flanders, all of Jamestown; three sisters: Shelley (Fred) Sundheimer of Canton, Ohio, Laura (Jimmy) Smith of Lakewood and Denise (Pete) Eyler of Sugar Grove, Pa.; his grandmother, Martha Carlson of Lakewood; his a stepfather, Norm Ecker Sr. of Sugar Grove, three stepbrothers; a stepsister; and several nieces and nephews.

The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Thursday in the Lakewood United Methodist Church. The Rev. Violet A. Davidson, pastor of the church, will officiate. Burial will be in Maple Grove Cemetery, Ashville.

Friends will be received by the family from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday in the Falconer Funeral Home.

Memorials may be made to the Lakewood Volunteer Fire Department 2 Packard Way, Lakewood, NY, 14750, or to the Lakewood Memorial Library 12 W. Summit Ave., Lakewood, NY, 14750.