William L. Keith Sr.

GRAY – It is with broken hearts that we announce the passing of William L. Keith Sr., AKA “Dumpster Bill” on Oct. 8, 2025 at Mercy Hospital in Portland.

Bill was born on April 13, 1945, to Donald and Eleanor Keith (Randall) in Freeport. He was raised in Pownal and North Yarmouth. Bill went to school in North Yarmouth and Yarmouth. In his later years he would get to know people he met by asking where they went to high school. He would then proudly tell them he went to five high schools…NYA, Greely, Portland, Deering and finally graduated through the GI Bill at Old Orchard Beach.

Bill entered the Army in 1968 and served in the 9th Infantry in Vietnam, where he was injured on March 8, 1969. He received a Purple Heart, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, two Overseas Bars, and Vietnam Campaign Medal with 60 Device. He was very proud to achieve the Maximum score of 400 on the .45 Pistol at the Qualification Range at Fort Polk, La. in 1968.

When he returned home, he worked with R&S Seafood on Custom House Wharf in Portland and was a commercial fisherman for many years. He loved woodwork all throughout his life.

Prior to his service time, he married Dorothy Knouse and had two sons with her, William L. Keith Jr. and Brian Keith who he loved very much.

He then married Mary S. Forestell on Oct. 13, 1989, with whom he shared a love that lasted 36 years on this earth and through eternity. Bill and Mary traveled throughout the U.S. and Canada. They did annual trips to Prince Edward Island where they shared great times with friends there. They also travelled to Washington D.C. every few years to honor his comrades on the Vietnam Wall as well as attending the Healing Wall and Traveling Wall that came to Maine.

Bill overcame many hardships and health problems throughout his life. He was very proud of his 33 years of sobriety.

In his later years, he would find four-leaf clovers and give them out to people he met and talked with. He loved to go out for lunch and tease the waitresses. He would leave them winning scratch off tickets and Dum Dum lollipops for tips.

Bill wrote a column for the Gray News for seven years. It was named “Letters from Dumpster Bill” He enjoyed meeting people and writing them up in a comical way in his column. He was truly a people person.

Bill was predeceased by his parents; and four brothers, Robert, Roy, Ronald, Walter; and grandson, Ian.

He is survived by his loving wife, Mary, former wife, Dot; two sons, William L. Keith Jr. and Brian Keith; sisters Connie (Ben) Welch and Cindy (David) Croxford and sister-in-law, Sandy; grandson, Nicholas; and great-granddaughter, Sophia; and many precious nieces and nephews. He also leaves behind his veteran brothers and sisters, especially Ray and Gail Smagula, Barry and Connie Cormier and Mike and Deb Zboray. Bill will be missed by so many people he grew up with and met throughout his life.

The family would like to thank the staff at the Northern Lights Mercy Hospital in Portland for their loving care of Bill.

Family and friends are invited to attend a time of visitation on Saturday Oct. 18, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. at Lindquist Funeral Home, 1 Mayberry Lane, Yarmouth, followed by a committal service with Military Honors at Riverside Cemetery in Yarmouth and luncheon at the Yarmouth History Center on 118 E Elm St., Yarmouth.

Please visit http://www.lindquistfuneralhome.com to view Bill’s tribute page and to sign his online guestbook.