Obituary: Keith Pearson

November 7, 1947 – March 2, 2024

Keith Theodore Pearson, a longtime resident of the Vail Valley, passed away on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at age 76. Keith is survived by his two sons Mike and Brian Pearson, as well as his 5 grandchildren, Bowen, Gemma, Cash, Lola and Brielle. Keith moved to the Valley in the early 1980s from Ohio, to take a job with Shapiro Development building many of the Valley’s early housing projects, such as the Vail Golf Course Townhomes, Oxford Court, and Townsend Place. Keith was passionate about machinery and mechanics, always willing to lend a hand when his expertise could be of service. He loved spending time in the outdoors with his boys and was an avid hunter and collector of geological specimens including minerals and fossils. He loved to share his many treasures with his grandchildren and friends, often gifting them with jewelry made from his wide collection of artifacts and semi-precious stones. Keith was a true character, a unique man who never failed to leave an impression on those who were lucky enough to have known him. Living his life, by choice, in a more solitary way, never one for conventional living, often finding himself residing on ranches such as the Jouflas Ranch in Wolcott, Red Draw Ranch in Squaw Creek, the Luark Ranch up Colorado River Road, and the gravel pit in Gypsum just to name a few. Keith and his boys made the mountains into their home and backyard, truly living off the land in more ways than one. Keith always greeted people with a story, never one to find himself at a loss for words. Even in his final moments he managed to “jaw” with Mike until he could no longer keep his eyes open, reminiscing over stories of his favorite moments, how proud he was of his children and grandchildren, leaving him with a smile on his face. With his iconic handlebar mustache, wide toothy grin, cowboy hat adorned with handmade arrowhead, and brass butterfly belt buckle, the man was hard to miss; and that’s where we are left now, missing him.