Obituary of Keith Churchill

Leonard Keith Churchill was born May 15, 1930 in Blackwell, OK to Jesse & Opal (Moss) Churchill and passed from this life on July 17, 2023 at the age of 93.

Keith’s band career began in the 5^th grade at Orlando, where he quickly became proficient on the cornet.  He attended Shidler High School, where Ashley Alexander was his band director. After graduating from high school in 1948 he enrolled at Oklahoma A&M as a petroleum engineer, but band and music were too important to ignore.  He changed his major to Music Education, receiving his degree in 1953.  While in college Keith was a member of Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha (vice president) and Kappa Kappa Psi.  Following graduation he taught band for one year in Attica, Kansas and then returned to Oklahoma where he was band director at Sand Springs for four years.  In 1960 he earned his Master’s and went to Jenks.  The Jenks Junior High band, under Keith’s direction, never received anything other than Superior ratings at both District and State contests.  The High School band also received Superior ratings.  The Jenks High School Band was awarded the honor of being the “School Musician” Band of the Month.  When Keith left the Instrumental Music Program at Jenks in 1978, to go into administration, there were four staff members and more than 600 students in the program.  During his tenure as band director at Jenks he was a member of the Oklahoma Education Association, National Education Association, Oklahoma Bandmasters Association, Oklahoma Music Educators Association, Music Educators National Conference, Phi Beta Mu (president 2 years) and American School Band Directors Association.  In recognition of Keith’s contribution, the Jenks Instrumental Department each year honors the outstanding band student in the 8^th grade from both Jenks Central Middle School and Jenks East Middle Schools with the “Keith Churchill Award”.

Keith was preceded in death by his parents and sister and brother-in-law, Marion & Benny Beck.  He is survived by his son, Jerald Keith Churchill; his daughter and son-in-law, Pamela Sue & Max Terhune; his grandchildren, Joi, Candi, Pamela and Lauren; and his great grandchildren, Amelia, Elizabeth, Joshua and Atalie.

Keith will lie in state from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, July 20, at the Ninde Brookside Funeral Home with family receiving friends from 5-7pm.  A graveside service will be held 10:00 a.m. Friday, July 21, at Memorial Park Cemetery.

In leiu of flowers the family suggests donations be made to the Disabled American Veterans, 3131 E. Pine Street, Tulsa, OK 74110 or www.dav.org

Ninde Brookside, 918-742-5556, www.ninde.com