Obituaries

Keith took his first breath on March 11, 1967, and his last breath and received his mom’s kiss on December 16, 2016.

CHILDHOOD He attended Brier Elementary School, Walters Middle School and Kennedy High School in Fremont, California. He graduated from Kennedy High School in 1985.

As Keith was growing up, he loved visiting my grandmother’s farm in Shasta, California. He loved animals and would always try to finagle a way to bring them home. One incident in my memory was my coming home to find 4 baby chicks (that he purchased at the pet store) following him throughout my living room, leaving their droppings. He said that he had a surprise for me; “Look, Mom, they think I’m their mother. They follow me everywhere!” He was so excited and wanted to keep them. I told him these are baby chickens; we can’t keep them which made him very sad. He had to return them to the pet store and asked if he could get some other animal to which I responded, “No, not today, honey!”

Keith always had a job and in the first year of high school, he purchased a hose which he kept at Osgood Stables. He would spend the night with the horse so he wouldn’t be alone. Later I discovered he had been breaking in horses for the Black Rodeo.

SPORTS Keith began playing sports in elementary all the way through high school. He played baseball, basketball and football and received many trophies as well as accolades in the newspaper. The coaches said he was a natural talent, excelling in high school. He broke a football record in high school for running the most yards at a Washington High School football game. He was offered a trip to Hawaii to play baseball but he turned it down because he couldn’t leave his girlfriend! He was offered a partial football scholarship as a senior but he had no interest in college. I didn’t know it at the time, but music was his passion.

MUSIC We were attending a family reunion in Bakersfield, California. I was talking with a cousin in the park when all these people began running to the music area. My cousin said, “Girl, your son sounds good!” I replied, “What?!* Keith was on the stage rapping, and I had never heard him do that before!

ADULT LIFE Keith had a daughter SIERRA SAMANTHA PARKER born on December 15, 1994, who he loved so much!

SPECIAL OCCASION I recall our last Christmas together; God made this special. Keith was a little down and I asked him if he would like to spend Christmas with me. He said, don’t you have to work? I answered, “Yes, but you can go to the hospitals with me to drop off Christmas gifts for the staff. After that we can go to see Dream Girls.” He replied, “Oh, OK.”

We arrived in Union City at the movies and he started to perk up seeing so may Black people at the movies. Once we got inside women and mem were talking to him about how excited everybody was to see the movie!

It was magical! The movie brought tears to his eyes and every man and woman. The young brothers stated to him, “Man, this is deep!” After the movie, Keith said, “Mom, thank you! This was the best night I’ve had, best Christmas! I won’t forget it. I love you, Mom!” I said, “I really love you too, son.” He spoke about that movie and night for years! Keith is survived by his mother, SANDRA L. BURDINE, daughter SIERRA SAMANTHA PARKER, as well as a host of loving family and friends. He was preceded in death by his father AMIEL PARKER, grandfather WILLIAM TOMLIN, grandfather WILLIAM TOMLIN, grandmother EARNESTINE JUANITA HERRING TOMLIN, and aunt DONNA MARIE NEAL.