A Veteran for Peace
November 11, 2004
“Speak little, listen much. Walk tall and don’t carry a stick at all.”
Keith E. Gingrich
Six years ago today, my uncle Keith Gingrich died after battling pancreatic cancer for almost one year. Keith worked for many years in Sudan with the Mennonite Central Committee, as well as the Washington (D.C.) office. While he died on Veteran’s Day, he was known by all as a true Veteran for Peace. His work in the Sudan, in India, Washington D.C., and up until 3 weeks before his death, he was working with then Vermont Senator Jim Jeffords to try and get a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty ratified.
My uncle Keith was an amazing man of God (with an incredibly amazing beard!) who I wish I had spent more time with. Some of my older cousins have memories of many in-depth conversations about faith, pacifism and the Christian life that I wish I could have been a part of. During my freshman year of Whitworth, in Writing 101, I wrote a short paper on my Uncle Keith; if you’re interested in it, click here. I pray that on a day like today, that we would be thankful for the War Veterans who have gone before us to make this land a safe place for us - but let us also be thankful and remember those Veterans of Peace, those who continually looked for another way to be faithful to their convictions about God’s desire for peace in the world.
Tags: Family, MCC, Mennonite-Church, Peace, Veterans-Day
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Adam Walker Cleaveland: 
November 11th, 2004 at 1:52 pm
What a wonderful veteran to honor on this day. Thank you for taking the time to let us all know about Keith.
November 11th, 2004 at 9:02 pm
Thank you for sharing your memories and tribute to Keith on this day that is so alive with our own memories of husband and father and man of peace. He taught us more than we may ever realize and we miss that gentle yet strong presence and the fun loving spirit that even now causes us to smile as we remember. May his words and example continue to inspire us to live out our own callings faithfully.
November 12th, 2004 at 11:38 am
Dear Adam,
It was great to get your words about Keith for 11/11
and to read the paper that you wrote about your Uncle
Keith in the past. I listened to the Celebration of Life Service last night and was struck again at all the
lives that he touched in so many varying situations,
as you noted.
Did you recall the story of the proverb, “Speak Little,
Listen Much, walk tall and don’t carry a stick at all.”
I’m not sure that Keith is the author of that, but
I don’t recall where it is from, some proverb, maybe
African?
He wrote that to me in a letter from Nigeria when I was
getting ready to go to Bolivia. And those were the words that I said to him just moments before he died.
What memories.
thanks for sharing this …well, maybe it was your mom
who shared it,. I’ll be looking forward to seeing you
and hearing about life at Princeton when we meet at
Christmas time.
blessings on you as you study, play, relate and reflect
these days. see you….in December. peace, Aunt Beth
November 13th, 2004 at 10:51 am
You write beautifully and your Uncle sounds like a beautiful person. :)
Katie