Clark County NV Archives Obituaries.....KEITH, William B. December 11 1920
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Gerry Perry missgerry@cox.net July 11, 2004, 2:07 am

Las Vegas Age - 12/18/1920


  THE BLUE AND GRAY SLEEP SIDE BY SIDE



  OLD VETERANS UNITED BY DEATH OF WILLIAM B. KEITH, WHO WORE THE BLUE.



  DIED:  In this city, Saturday, December 11, 1920, William B. KEITH, aged

80

  years, 8 months and 12 days.  The funeral services were held Thursday

  afternoon at the undertaking chapel, Rev. L. C. KLINE officiating, and

  interment was made in Woodlawn Cemetery.



      To the casual reader there is but little in the above announcement

  beyond the bare fact that an aged man who had grown feeble and helpless

with

  the weight of many years, has passed away.  To those who know something of

  the venerable man and his life in Las Vegas, the lowering of his lifeless

  body into the grave close beside the one friend who was most near and dear

  during the sunset days of life, marked the close of one chapter in a story

  of friendship and the beginning of yet another chapter in which the joys

of

  eternal friendship may not be marred by separation.

      Mr. KEITH was born in Ohio, March 30, 1840, and was 20 years of age at

  the outbreak of the Civil war.  He answered the call of his country by

  enlisting on the side of the Union in Co. K, 12th Iowa Infantry, his

parents

  having moved to Iowa when he was yet a boy.

      Passing the vigor of his meridian days he came to Las Vegas in 1911,

  "when his shadows lengthened and his weary feet were very near their

  journey's end."  Here he found a friend to bring him comfort and

  companionship.  J. M. GRAHAM by name, a veteran of the Civil war on the

side

  of the Confederacy.  This friendship endured until Mr. GRAHAM's death

  several years ago.  Mr. KEITH, wearer of the blue, bought a lot in

Woodlawn

  cemetery and tenderly buried his friend in the chosen spot.  Then he had

the

  ashes of GRAHAM's wife brought from the east and buried in the grave with

  her husband.

      Out of his very meagre income, Mr. KEITH bought a granite shaft to

mark

  the place and had it set beside the head of the grave.  On one side is

  chisled, "J. M. GRAHAM and Wife"; on the other, "William B. KEITH, Born

  March 30, 1840, Died __."  And during his last months it was his one wish

to

  have the burial place neat and in order, and he made that his business in

  life.

      So on one side of the monument facing both graves, he had chiseled

these

  words:

      "Arrayed in the conflict, in strife and dismay,

      One wore the blue.  The other the gray.

      Time brought its changes.  We two came to know

      The joy which true friendship in life can bestow."



      And so, at last, the blue came to sleep beside the gray.















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