Keith Smith Memorial Service

More than 200 friends and family members met today for a celebration of life service for Oklahoma civil rights activist Keith Smith. I expect that more would have attended the service had it not been for the snowpacked highways across the state. In fact, former Oklahoma Governor David Walters made a joke about the freezing weather and the recent departure of Smith who was the state's leading gay rights activist. Walters was the final speaker in the service, following newly elected Senator Andrew Rice, the Rev. Dr. Robin Meyers, former Senator Cal Hobson, Kalyn Free, former Senator Bernest Cain, Joann Bell, Representative Al MAffrey, and Linda Gray Murphy.

All of the speakers had funny, poignant, personal and inspiring stories to tell of their friendship with Keith. I'm quite sure that each of us in the audience could have told stories equally funny that reflected the grand personality that was Keith Smith.

The capitol rotunda will be a different place when session begins without Keith's stetson hat and persuasive ways.

Goodbye my friend.