Alexander MacDonald Keith Obituary

Minnesota History

Editor's Note: This obituary is written by my son's second grade teacher Mr. Ian Keith, Social Studies, Randolph Heights Elementary School - SPPS. We are very grateful to have Mr. Keith teaching young minds and our condolence to him and his family. 

 

(Photo: Judge A.M. “Sandy” Keith, St. Paul Pioneer Press - Fair Use) 

A.M. “Sandy” Keith, aged 91, died peacefully at his home on October 3, 2020. He was born on November 22, 1928 in Rochester, Minnesota to Dr. Norman Keith and Edna Alexander Keith. He graduated from Amherst College and Yale Law School and then enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean War. After boot camp at Quantico, Virginia he served for a year in Korea as a First Lieutenant. He married Marion Sanford on April 29, 1955 in Washington, D.C. and they moved to Rochester where Sandy worked in the legal department of the Mayo Clinic.

In 1959 he was elected to the Minnesota State Senate representing Olmsted County. He was Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota from 1963 to 1967. After losing an election for governor in 1966, he returned to Rochester to practice family law at the firm Dunlap and Seeger that earlier he had helped found. He was appointed to the Minnesota Supreme Court in 1989 as an Associate Justice and from 1990 to 1998 served as the Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. In 2005 he helped form and lead the Rochester Downtown Alliance for five years as its first executive director. In his life he served his hometown, state and country.

Sandy was a public man - the only person in Minnesota’s history to have served in all three Branches of state government. He loved politics. He loved working with people from all walks of life. And he loved wrestling with tough issues – at the state capitol, at city hall or in the Courtroom. He brought a tireless energy, buoyant spirit and fearless determination to improve the lives of his clients, his constituents and the people of Rochester and the state of Minnesota. He had a unique ability to make things happen, to bring the right people together in the right way to address important issues. Whether it was helping parents resolve custody and parenting issues through mediation, breaking down barriers for women to serve as judges, unifying the state court system or revitalizing downtown Rochester, Sandy found ways to work with others to get things done.

Sandy loved his home in the country and every spring for many years attempted the impossible of country living: digging every dandelion in sight by hand. He loved his daily walks with his beloved dogs. He loved skiing in Colorado and, to the embarrassment of his sons, singing “Born Free” at the top his lungs while carving turns down the slopes. He loved fishing in Canada with his sons, grandchildren and friends. He particularly enjoyed “counselling” young people about their lives and throughout his life was a prolific letter writer. And perhaps more than anything, he loved his work! 

He is survived by his wife, Marion Sanford Keith, sons Ian Alexander Keith (Gail) and Dr. Douglas Scott Keith (Mei) and grandchildren Sean Keith, Ingrid Hagen-Keith, Ingemar Hagen-Keith and Andreas Hagen Keith. He was predeceased by infant son Peter Sanford Keith, his parents and sisters Helen Keith Kling and Janet Keith Shands.

The family thanks all of the people who walked with him along his path of life. The memorial service will be announced at a future date. Condolence messages may be sent to: iankeith2@aol.com.