Keith Hebdon

Keith Auger Hebdon, 89 of Royal City, WA passed away Tuesday July 5th at Kadlec Medical Center in Richland, WA.

Keith was born on December 17, 1921 in Lewiston, UT to Edward Eardley and Ellen May (Auger) Hebdon. He was raised in Lewiston until the age of 15 when he moved to Bancroft, ID to attend school. In High School, Keith excelled in football and basketball and was elected student body president his senior year. He graduated form Bancroft High (North Gem) in 1940. Keith wanted to serve his country and tried to join the army but his health prevented him from doing so. He gained employment at the Remington Arms Munitions Company in Salt Lake City, UT and through this job felt he was contributing to the war effort. He returned to Bancroft in 1942 and worked for several farmers in the area. He met a school teacher, Idris Egbert from Ashton, ID, in 1943 and on June 21, 1944 they were sealed for time and all eternity in the Logan, UT temple.

Keith purchased land in Chesterfield, ID and was the first to build a grade A dairy parlor. In 1955 he sold his land to his brother Russell and moved to Washington where he bought property on what would become the Royal Slope. While waiting for irrigation to reach the slope, he and his family lived and farmed in Quincy. At the age of 35 he suffered a heart attack. He left farming and started a Bernina sewing machine business in Spokane with his brother, Harold. A year later, missing the sun and soil, he returned to what he loved most, farming. With water available, the family moved to the Royal Slope to clear the sagebrush and plant crops.

Keith was a life long member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He held many positions including Sunday School Superintendent, High Priest group leader, Seventy, Branch President and Ordinance worker in the Seattle Temple. He and Idris served in the Tennessee, Nashville Mission from 1988 to 1990. He was a natural when looking at animals or crops and knowing their qualities. He enjoyed working with numbers, adding or subtracting in his head faster than could be done on a calculator. Keith braided bailing twine into rugs making various shapes sizes and colors. He took great joy in giving them to family and friends. His last entry was 285 rugs made. Though later in life his body slowed his hands were never still.

Keith was preceded in death by his parents, a son Hollis Edward Hebdon, brothers and sisters; Verla Walton, Russell Hebdon, Rex Hebdon, Delsa McCracken, Doris Oakeson, and Kendall Hebdon, grand children Tawnya Warnick Draper and Amy Scorup.

He is survived by his wife Idris Hebdon of Royal City, his children Dennis Keith (Mary Ann) Hebdon of Mattawa, Ellen Marie (Wayne) Warnick of Benton City, Shawna Kay (David) Scorup of Othello, Troy Egbert (Linda) Hebdon of Royal City, Terry Wayne (Elaine) Hebdon of Royal City and Sherri Lin (Bryan) Larson of Idaho Falls, ID his brothers Harold Hebdon of Idaho Falls, ID and Floyd Hebdon of Vancouver, WA and sisters Velma Forman of Riverton, UT and Hazel Hansen of Smithfield, UT, 33 grandchildren and 65 great grandchildren.

A viewing will be held on Monday July 11, 2011 at 357 Christensen Road S.E. Othello (Royal Camp) LDS Church from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and again Tuesday from 1 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. prior to the 2 p.m. funeral service. Keith will be laid to rest at the Royal Memorial Gardens. To view this obituary and leave a note for the family please visit stevensfuneralchapel.com