North Haverhill , NH – David W. Keith, 72, died on Thursday, February 11, 2016, at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH after an extended illness.

He was born in Haverhill, NH, March 8, 1943, a son of Everett L. and Alta (Perrin) Keith. David grew up and lived his entire life on Briar Hill. As a little boy, he worked on the family farm and was an active 4-H member. He attended North Haverhill Elementary School and Haverhill Academy. After school he started to take on more responsibilities around the farm. He married Linda Rosa on June 2, 1962 and they started raising their own family. In 1982, David took over the farm from his father. A farmer with a sharp business mind, David grew the dairy to five times its original size and named it Briar Stone Farm. He saw the farm as a family business, a legacy for his children, and a contribution to the community.

As a young boy, David started helping his father at the North Haverhill Fair by setting up tents, selling tickets, or whatever might be required to have a successful fair. He became a director of the fair and in 1991 he took over the reins as the President of the North Haverhill Fair Association, a position he held until his retirement in 2010. Under his leadership the fair expanded to provide more education, more agricultural programs, and more entertainment. He attributed the success of the fair to the passion and dedication of the volunteers. Dave still helped out as much as he could every year after that.

As a successful dairy farmer he was honored with many awards over his career. One that he was very proud of was in 1993 when he was awarded the Green Pastures Dairy Farmer of the Year Award. David served on many boards. He was a 4-H leader at the Little Oxbow 4-H Club and in 2000 he was chosen as a member of the Agricultural Advisory Board for the State of New Hampshire. He was a longtime member of the Cohase Lions Club and served as a Past President and Director. In 2010 he was chosen as the Cohase Citizen of the year. This award was given for all his support of the community, North Haverhill Fair Association, and the Cohase Lions Club. He served as a trustee of the Big E. For many years he served on the Budget Committee for the Town of Haverhill and was a member of the North Haverhill Fire Department. David was also honored as the Parade Marshall for the Woodsville Wells River Fourth of July parade for his service to the community.

David traveled to New Zealand on an educational dairy farming study for the University of New Hampshire Extension Service. The farming seminar focused on rotational grazing of animals. Thus began his love for traveling. David and Linda traveled extensively to many places over the years. Their trips took them to Italy, the Baltic, the Mediterranean, Ireland, Alaska, Panama, the Caribbean, and San Francisco, to name a few. David was a   philanthropist, generous, caring, and thoughtful man.

He was predeceased by his parents, Alta (Perrin) Keith on October 2, 1992 and Everett L. Keith on May 21, 2006; and a brother, William Keith.

Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Linda (Rosa) Keith of North Haverhill; four children, Debbie Bigelow and her husband Wayne of North Haverhill, Jeffrey Keith and wife Shawn of North Haverhill, Danny Keith of Boston, MA, and Thomas Keith and wife Deb of North Haverhill; two grandchildren, Lindsay Bigelow and Kayla Jo Keith; a great grandson, Isaak Fellows; a sister, Jann L. Keith of Springboro, OH; a brother, Ronald Keith and wife Diane of North Haverhill; along with many extended family members; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

There will be no calling hours.

A funeral service will be on Monday, February 15, at 11 AM at the Ricker Funeral Home, 1 Birch Street, Woodsville, NH

Burial will be held in the spring at the convenience of the family in the Horse Meadow Cemetery, North Haverhill.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, ATTN: Research at the Heart and Vascular Center, One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03756 or by going to https://dhmcalumdev.hitchcock.org/cardiovascular_fund