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Bryant Keith Ridgway, known as Keith, was born in Texarkana Texas on September 11,1950. After surviving recent battles with kidney and prostate cancer he died on June 30, 2022, in Kuna, Idaho, following a seven-month battle with the complications from brain cancer.
Keith’s family moved to Tucson in 1958 following their preacher from Ft Worth Texas to establish a new church there, The Tucson Baptist Temple.
Keith attended Fickett junior high and Palo Verde high school in Tucson where he excelled in basketball and baseball. After graduation he received a baseball scholarship at Arizona Western junior college in Yuma Arizona. Following his time at a WJC, Keith enlisted in the Air Force and was stationed in Korea for two years. Upon returning to Tucson, he began working at UPS where he advanced quickly from a part time delivery driver to eventually co-managing the entire Tucson division. In the early 80s he left UPS and started to sell and develop projects for manufactured housing. This next phase of his work career took him from Tucson to North Carolina and then Texas. In the 2000s Keith changed careers again starting Teamwork Mortgage, a mortgage lending company in Chandler Arizona. He continued in this line of work until his retirement in 2013.
Keith was a true sports nut and competitive at everything he tried. In the 70s and 80s he played fast pitch softball where he was a Tucson all-star and played for the champion Tucson Rattlers pro team. He was an excellent skier and fell in love with the game of golf. Outside of his family, his happiest moments were playing these sports with good friends, competitively of course.
Keith was married three times in his life, and it was Deana (Dee), his wife for the last 23 years, that cared for him in his final battle with cancer, along with his loving sister Linda. After marrying Dee, Keith returned to his strong religious beliefs and together they read the Bible and attended church regularly. Growing together in their walk with the Lord.
Keith was a loyal friend, a hard worker, a heck of a competitor, and above all, what you saw is what you got.
He is preceded in death by his mother Dorothy Ridgway. Keith is survived by his wife Deana Ridgway, his dad - Cotton Ridgway, sister - Linda and husband Larry Kuykendall of Texarkana, Texas, one brother David and wife Jeanice Ridgway, two sons Kent and wife Katrina Ridgway of Tucson, Arizona, and BJ and wife Erin Ridgway of Dickson, Tennessee. Three stepchildren, Kim and husband Dana Thompson of Apache Junction Arizona, Kurt and wife Tessa LaPlante of Nashua, New Hampshire, Amanda and husband Phillip Powell of Mesa, Arizona, one nephew Tim Kuykendall and Danielle of Austin, Texas, two nieces Riley and Mackenzie Sullivan of Scottsdale, 9 grandchildren and one great granddaughter.
Courtesy of Joe Babinski and a few others. 8/29/2022
The following is from Keith’s wife, Dee.
Keith Ridgeway passed away on June 30, 2022, at 71 years old. Keith was a good guy in high school, and carried that quality with him as an adult. He owned a mortgage and insurance company. He stayed in Arizona until 2021, then moved to Idaho. Keith is survived by Dee, his loving wife of 23 years; 5 children, 9 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild; and by his father, Cotton Ridgeway (Tucson).
Above all else, Keith should be remembered as a good Christian. He was a Godly Man.
David Hanshaw
Keith and I would get to the Fickett basketball court eary before school and shoot hoops. Over the course of weeks he practiced and developed the infamous Ridgeway jump shot. At that point I was basically feeding him balls shot after shot. Lost touch with Keith after we graduated to Palo Verde. Sorry to hear about the cancer.
Bill Bavaro
Keith and I were good frieds for many years. We had some great time at Palo Verde. He went to Western and I went to Eastern Az. College. We both played baseball. We were playing at Western, which is at Yuma. After the game we convinced our coaches to let us go home with our family's. No problem, but our families weren't there. We hitched hiked from Yuma to Tucson. Took a long time but had a great day.
Cotton Ridgeway, Keith's Dad. Notified Clay Taylor, regarding Keiths passing. Clay called me to tell me the tragic news.
Christine Dame (Battilana)
Very sad to read of Keith's passing. You are right John, any cancer is savage and when it invades our nrains, it is especially cruel. Keith was a nice person when I knew him in PVHS. My condolences to his loved ones.
Richard(Rich) Gerber
I was so saddened to hear about Keith passing away. Keith was a work of art in a great way. He always had a comment for someone and was very outspoken. Keith, Donny and Danny (Woods) and I lived in the same neighborhood so we hung out alot. Cotton Ridgeway, and Hy Gerber tried to keep us on track a tough task to accomplish. Love you Brother
Craig Slavin
From walking to and from elementary school (Boothe), Keith and I grew up together playing sports and hanging out. As we got older, our interests changed and Keith evidently moved to Sierra Vista or someplace and I lost track of him. The last time I saw him was our 10-year reunion and he and Joe Babinsky and I played golf. That was the last I heard of Keith until now. May he rest in peace.
Robert Hoehn
Thanks Bill, thanks for the heads up. Remember Keith from Fickett. And for some reason Shakys Pizza Parlor comes to mind. Keith and I used to sing along with J. Frank Wilson, "Last Kiss". We never knew the jukebox drowned us out! That jukebox was probably saving everyone in the place from a listening disorder! Told that story a lot in the last 53 years, Keith Ridgeway will always be my lead singer, in our "Gong Show" act, before there was a Gong Show!
John Graham
This is an excellent chance for those of us who can, to donate what we can towards cancer research. I say what you can because that is what one should donate to great causes. You can only afford what you can afford. Be careful there are many cancer charaties (especially Breast Cancer charaties out there who do not do a good job with your donations, and keep it for them selves. I suggest alwas usin Charity Navigator https://www.charitynavigatororg (this is not a link but can be copied and pasted into any broowser) when donating to a cause. Another great way is to volunteer time and effort towards a cause. Your voice and your steps can rewally make a difference.
I am planning to be in Tucson 11/19/22 to participate in Rotary,s El Tour de Tucson a fund raiser to help raising money for fight Polio in our World. I will be riding the 32 mile ebike route. Not asking for donations for polio becuse we should be doing something in Keiths name on cancer that helpfully will work towards a more cancer free world in the future!
Joseph Babinski
When I moved back to Arizona, I reconnected with Keith. We got to the point where we were playing golf 4-5 times a month. We also took golfing trips to play golf with Tim Walsh and Scott Snyder. Keith became a big High Basketball fan showing up to most ofl my games when I coached at Desert Edge and Perry high school. When I decided to take the Eastmark HS job, I hired Keith as one of my assistants. He thought is was greatest thing ever. At the beginning of last season Keith had a seizure during one of the practices and collapsed to the floor. Soon after that event we learned that Keith had brain cancer and was given nine months to live. Tim and I kept in close touch with Keith during those nine months. Keith never complained and fough the disease like the true competitor he is/was. Keith died June 30. He love to discuss(argue) different topics, I know he is up in heaven probably having a number of discussions with God.
He will be missed.
Danny Crobbe
Keith was an excellent two sport athlete baseball and basketball. I remember the basketball side of his game. Keith was a member of are varsity team that included Steve Gunning and Tim Walsh and myself at the guard position. Our practices were a bit on the physical side of the game which included some close contact. We all got along and had a 17-4 record and lost to Tucson High three times. Tucson High that year I believe was undefeated and won the state championship. I saw Keith and Joe Babinski our Captain of the team at one of our reunions I believe it was number thirty but who is counting right. We shared are memories that night and had a great time. Keith Ridgeway rest in peace you had a great career and God Bless You.
Danny Crobbe
Eric Heinz
Wow! Super comments guys!!
I remember Keith from Basketball. Never had a fight with him though! He was always enthusiastic, positive and a team player for sure.
Rest in peace my friend.