Tribute to Keith Pitzer

Keith Pitzer, Executive Director of Friends of the Cheat since 2001, died on the morning of December 22nd following a year and a half long battle with cancer. Friends of the Cheat (FOC) writes that under Keith’s leadership, FOC dramatically expanded its efforts to restore, preserve, and promote the outstanding natural qualities of the Cheat River Watershed. Perhaps the most moving testimony to Keith’s work comes from the eagles, herons, fish, and otters that have been sighted on the Cheat River that was once considered dead. He and his wife Joan also were instrumental in establishing the legendary musical tradition of the Cheat River Festival.

For anyone who knew Keith or heard him play, he was an incredible friend, musician, father and husband. Keith was always supportive of the myriad and often tangled threads that motherhood, activism, and music weaved through my life. The love that he and Joan held for each other and for their family inspired me. I looked up to him. I didn’t get to see him as much as I would have liked, but every time I did see him, he always helped me look back at my life adventures with a new perspective. And he was always ready to come play music, write a new song, or reach out and teach more people about the movement against MTR. Keith and Joan wrote and contributed "Under the Blackened Moon" on the first Moving Mountains, played on my song "Fiddler's Ballad," and wrote and contributed "Mountains of Blues" on the second benefit CD Still Moving Mountains.

The tremendous impact of Keith’s dedication to the movement against mountaintop removal can best be seen in the words below:

Having played in the band Wolf Creek Session with him for what now seems like a very short seven years, I have had a sort of "behind the scenes" view of Keith. And I can honestly say that the face he presented to the world turned out to be the very same person he was when nobody else was watching. There was not a disingenuous bone in his body. Whether it was about his love for his family or his adopted West Virginia home, his words breathed fresh life and hope into concerns that are as old as civilization. Over the years, many of his and Joan's musical performances were donated to support causes of environmental awareness and activism. Their efforts in the fight against mountain top removal have been unflagging. Keith was blessed with a deep well of creativity that he drew on until the very end, and it is my hope and expectation that his talented family and his wide circle of musical friends and fans will continue playing and singing his songs for generations.

Alice Fleischman, Wolf Creek Session

I remember when I first heard Keith and Joan sing on CD, I thought what wonderful music. The harmony of Keith and Joan's voices was beautiful. It was shortly after the flooding in 2003. I was able to hear them sing in Whitesville and to get a copy Moving Mountains CD. Meeting Keith and Joan and hearing their music was one of the few "good" things that brought me to be an activist. I remember Keith and Joan talking about much they loved their home in WV. It brought tears to my eyes as I remember my home before MTR. I think it was in part their music that truly helped me to open up my eyes about what was being lost. Thank You Keith Pitzer for allowing your spirit to carry us through stopping MTR.

Maria Gunnoe, Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition and Southwings

I remember Keith and Joan coming to Whitesville several years ago and playing at the Salamy building for a local heritage night we organized. We had a pretty good turnout. Local people loved their music.

Bo Webb, Peachtree, Coal River Valley

Keith and Joan played at the Tamarack a few years ago, and a friend of mine asked them to play "under the blackened moon," which they did to the dismay of the Friends of Coalers in the audience. Pretty courageous to do that in Beckley.

Vernon Haltom, Coal River Mountain Watch

In lieu of flowers, the Keith Pitzer family has asked that donations be made in his memory to Friends of the Cheat. Condolence notes can be sent to his email: kpitzer@cheat.org, and will be passed along to his family.

—Jen Osha