I loved Keith Smith for many rea

I loved Keith Smith for many reasons. The first thing that came to my mind when I heard he passed didn't have anything to do with his amazing accomplishment as a lobbyist, activist or anything else political.

I thought of the afternoons in the top of the Democratic headquarters office when he would stick his head in a room, wink, throw a piece of paper plastic ball at my head and run away. I loved the way he would grab my purse or scarf and touch it and tell me who the designer was. I loved the way he would talk about vintage clothing and accessories. I loved the way he would call all of us girls "dears" and offer us wine when we had to stay late working. I love how excited I would get and special it would make me feel when I would get an instant message from him with a great fashion link or picture of something outrageous.

Best of all was when Keith could drag us girls to karaoke and grin and laugh at us being young, silly and full of excitement. He made everything so much more joyous.

Two and half years later, I look back at my time with the OK democrats and sometimes shutter. I feel angry about so many things in the state. It infuriates me to think about some of the petty non progressive views and pessimistic approach so many party activists tried to thrust on so many of us young people. I look back only now realizing how much of myself I saw slip away and become replaced with cynicism about the state and about politics.

But Keith was always the opposite. Keith tried to offer a fresh, real perspective. Keith tried to make everything fun and interesting. Every time I saw Keith at the capitol, he would introduce me to whoever he was talking to. It didn't matter if it was a senator, a lobbyist, or an old friend. He wanted so much to keep young people and young women in particular in the know and educate them about his work at the capitol.

There are some great women I have been honored to know and that have mentored me even now as I live far away. But never was there a man I felt so comfortable and honest to share my LIBERAL opinions with. No man ever seemed so interested but Keith. For some reason to all women he had a special understanding, concern and compassion. He was such a gentlemen. But was also man enough to be a tough fighter when needed. But mostly like everything else he accomplished, I think he reached people because of that way he made them feel. Special, important, needed, and of course, silly. He made people feel loved, and that's why everyone loved him so much.

Like so many things I'm sure people think now about Keith's memory, they are glad for the time they knew with him. I feel grateful not just for the time, but for when it occurred. I am grateful for him always trying to instill courage and resistance in so many young democrats, and young women. I'd like to think he helped me turn into a a better young lady than the teenager who met him years ago at a Young Democrat state convention.

I hope Keith is running around heaven doing the same things. Dragging people to karaoke, throwing wads of paper at peoples heads and drinking wine in pretty long stem glasses. Also, I'd like to think of him palling around my sister in law and taking her shopping for vintage jewelry and bags.

Rest in love & eternal peace Keith,

Renee Delight Emery

I can't put my finger on the day i met Keith Smith.......but for the last 9 years he has been one of the first people i would call to share important news, personal views, or just take a few minutes to shoot the breeze.

We met in May of 1997 when i first started fighting the hog farms here in Oklahoma along with Suzette Hatfield. The three of us had a great synergism and we all were equally committed to standing up to corporate agriculture and teaching legislators and the public the other side of "economic development".

Keith was truly "keyed in" to so many fantastic causes. And for that very reason, I ran to keep ahead of him in the cause that we shared - the environment and to teach him the science behind groundwater pollution -- to dispel the bullshit put out by corporate agriculture with respect to leaking lagoons, antibiotic resistant bacteria, and the PR that pig stench is the smell of "farming" rather than the reality which is it contains volatile organic compounds, hydrogen sulfide, and phenols -- air pollutants that are considered toxic, if not hazardous if any other industry generated them.........and he gladly listened and learned so that he could bring solid information to the legislature.

I would readily say that Keith was a wonderful, gregarious, considerate, hard-working, passionate, and slightly wacky guy. He certainly made anyone feel comfortable in his presence. His refrigerator decor could make one laugh out loud - even if you were tired, fed up and disgusted with the politics. His improvised words to common songs and the enthusiasm he exuded while "creating" these sometimes hideously funny satires is one of my most eyebrow raising memories..........He was a scrapper and a daring individual and he dared you to run with him. Yet, he patiently awaited your decision to get involved - he never stopped to wait for you - but allowed you to find your own pace and work with you and include you whenever possible.

One of the last things we did together was drive out to the hog farms west of Oklahoma City where I showed him how to use a portable mass spectrometer to measure ammonia emissions from hog lagoons. We sat out on a dirt road hidden in the tall grass - groaning about the stench - and marveling at the data that was registering on the computer. We immediately started brainstorming how this type of information could be used to help the people -- and to show the legislature that technology is available to monitor and protect human health.

I will sorely miss the ability to ring him up and share the latest scuttlebutt on the industry -- to strategize on how we can bring the agricultural industry to a higher standard -- to just bitch a bit about how some people are flat stubborn and pigheaded about pollution. and to find the humor in it all - to hang up with each of us laughing or full of ideas or just plain comfortable knowing another soul understands our passions.

Keith worked on the environmental issues related to hog farms in Oklahoma until he died....for me and the folks living in the panhandle - that meant more than words can describe.....he never quit looking for a way to improve the laws (and in many cases save the laws folks had worked so hard to achieve).....to get in front of the governor and to call his hand. he did it with great courage. it was a righteous fight for both of us.

I noticed the legislature has some new bills on the table regarding abortion that would have pissed off Keith as much as they do me -- a woman -- and for that I treasure my memory of a man whose insight into a woman's private life and choices was more honorable and more compassionate than any other man I have ever met.

My life is richer for knowing Keith Smith. and my sadness at his passing is a wound i gladly bear.

Kathy Martin, Norman Oklahoma