Ronald Loren Keith
The service to celebrate the life of Ronald Loren Keith will be at 5 p.m. Sept. 14 in the Bruder Theatre of King Hall on the Emporia State University campus.
Another service was held at Aldersgate United Methodist Church in St. Louis Park, Minn., with memorials going toward a living memorial at the Minnesota Arboretum.
Mr. Keith died Aug. 25, 2007, after an extended illness. He was 55.
He had taught physics and interdisciplinary studies at Emporia State University since 1991. He also was director of the Peterson Planetarium at ESU. His specific fields of study were interdisciplinary studies, problem solving in science, physics education and effective use of computer technology in science education.
In 2000, he received the Liberal Arts and Sciences Outstanding Teacher Award. He was recognized by the ESU Liberal Arts and Sciences again in 2007 for his excellence in service to the university and his college, and again in 2007 by the ESU Faculty Senate who honored him with a resolution commending him for outstanding leadership and service.
The son of Arthur L. and Jacqueline F. Keith, he was born at Minneapolis. He grew up in St. Louis Park, where he graduated from the St. Louis Park High School in 1970. He graduated with high distinction from the University of Minnesota Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree; completed three years of graduate study in astrophysics at Cornell University, earning a master’s degree in science education from Cornell in 1983, and received his PhD in science education and a master’s degree in physics from the University of Minnesota in 1993.
Mr. Keith is survived by one brother, Arthur Keith; and one sister, Jan.
Memorial contributions to the Dr. Ronald Loren Keith Scholarship Fund for physics education students may be sent in care of the ESU Foundation, 1500 Highland St., Emporia, KS 66801.