Keith Leon Worden, 78, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota died December 23, 2012 with family by his side.  Funeral is in White Bear Lake, Minn. with inurnment at Fort Snelling National Cemetery with full military honors.

Keith was born June 28, 1934 in Tulsa, Okla. to William and Lucille Worden.  He graduated in 1952 from East Richland High School in Olney and went on to attend ROTC at Georgia Tech and Kemper Military Academy. He continued at Purdue University, graduating in 1955 as a mechanical draftsman engineer. He joined the Army in 1956 serving as an Airborne infantryman with the 101st Airborne, 2nd Airborne Group, Co. E 187th Rakkasans and was honorably discharged in 1958.

He married Klara on August 6, 1960 in Williston, N.D. and worked as a mechanical engineer for his father's company, Worden Tool and Engineering. He served as a deputy sheriff and then joined the Army Reserve for 25 plus years, serving as chief intelligence interrogator in Fort Snelling. He continued as a piping design engineer for Koch Refinery and H.B. Fuller Co. He was an avid MN Weapons Collector member, National Muzzle Loading Rifle member and enjoyed sailing, woodcarving, gunsmithing and riding with his wife in his Jaguars.

Survived by loving wife, Klara; children, Bridgette (Jim) Zubick, Maplewood, Eva (Bill) Roode, Connecticut and Lisa (Pat) McNeally, Shell Lake, Wis.; six grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; one brother and nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and brother-in-law.

Published in Olney Daily Mail (IL) ~ Monday, May 20, 2013