Age 93, born in Salem, Ohio in 1931, at the beginning of the Great Depression, to Hattie and Joseph Hollinshead, Keith was the youngest of four, with three older siblings: Charles, Lorraine, and Robert “Gene”. He had another immediate older brother, Kenneth Jay, who sadly passed around 2 years old.
He grew up in Waynesboro, Pennsylvania and attended Waynesboro High School, majoring in sports. He joined the Army and as a conscientious objector became a Med Tech during the Korean War, serving in Japan in hospitals for the wounded. When he returned Stateside in the mid 1950’s, he met and married Emzie Louise Myers, both in their early twenties. They had 4 children from 1956-1967, Jay, Ruthanne, Daniel and Diane. He and Emzie were happily married until her passing in 1999.
Keith worked across two major industries: first, residential and commercial construction, and also Interstate commercial trucking driving 18-wheelers including hazardous materials (Haz-Mat), until his retirement around the turn of the century.
He came to a personal settled saving faith in the Lord Jesus when he was 18 years old in a “Dr. Bob Cook Evangelistic Crusade” in Waynesboro, and attended churches regularly, with an evangelical conservative background (Conservative Mennonite and Brethren, then Bible and Baptist, and finally the Fellowship Halls of Toronto Canada). His faith was very important to him and his family.
After Emzie passed in 1999, Keith met Annie (Smith) Weighhill at Montrose Bible Conference, whom he married in 2001. They split their lives between Canada and the States, attending with his dear friends the Gospel Hall in Canada and Stone Valley Bible Church in Pennsylvania until his second wife Ann passed in 2017. Finally, he moved in with his son in Wilmington DE in early 2022 and then in late 2023 he moved to Assisted Living at Harbor Chase, DE. He was loved by all, as a friend who enjoyed applying his construction and handyman skills whenever he could. His family and friends miss him and look forward to seeing him again in heaven.
Keith is predeceased by his mother Hattie and father Joseph, four older siblings, Charles, Lorraine, Eugene and Kenneth, and two wives, Emzie and Ann. He is survived by his children: son, Jay Keith (Laura, deceased), and their children, Matthew (Stephanie), Melodie (Todd deceased), Michael (Stefanie), Mark (Melissa) and Martin (Leah); Keith’s daughter Ruthanne Kay (Harry), and her children Brandon and Arielle; Keith’s son Daniel Ray and his daughter Sarah (Angelo), and Keith’s daughter Diane Fay, and her sons Christopher and Joshua; Keith also has 20 great-grandchildren to date (and counting). God bless the family.
A viewing will be held on Friday, September 20, from 10-11 am, at McCrery & Harra Funeral Home, 3710 Kirkwood Hwy, Wilmington, DE where a funeral will follow at 11. Burial will be Silverbrook Cemetery.
Services will be livestreamed and afterwards can be viewed at: https://my.gather.app/remember/keith-hollinshea
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to Community Fellowship Church, “Deacon’s Fund, ‘Alzheimer’s Literature/Support’”, 200 Armstrong Ave, Wilmington, DE 19805.
For online condolences visit: www.mccreryandharra.com
