Obituary of Keith Lethbridge Eldridge
Mr. Keith Eldridge was born on April 6, 1921 in St. Stephen, NB; he was the son of the late Calvin and Ada (Lethbridge,) Eldridge of Beaver Harbor.
Keith lived in Beaver Harbor until he was six years old, when the family moved to Dartmouth, NS. He attended school in Dartmouth and attended the Halifax College of Art. In 1931, the family suffered a huge loss of Keith's mother; due to a ruptured appendix. In 1936, the family moved to England where Keith attended the Ipswich College of Art and later the Chelmsford Technical Institute.
He was in London at the beginning of World War II and did his share of fire watching during the bombing in London.
Since the Canadians did not recruit in Britain he joined the Royal Air Force and was placed in the RAF Regiment and in the course of time was to guard airports and end shooting down "Doodle Bugs" the unmanned rockets used by the Nazis. He was sent out to India to train as a paratrooper.
When the war ended Keith returned to England and served in the forestry commission while waiting for a ship to Canada. After reuniting with relatives in NB he found his way to Toronto where he found work. In order to support his passion for painting he had many jobs including the CNE, CBC, Province of New Brunswick and Memorial University of Newfoundland. He was a past member of the Canadian Society of painters in Watercolor and New York Society of Scribes and Canadian Artists Representation.
While in Toronto Keith discovered the Baha'i Faith and was encouraged to return to NB where he met his wife to be Janet Mackenzie. They married in 1952 and began life together sharing their devotion to the Baha'i Faith.
After settling in Sussex, Keith and Janet while in their seventies seized an oppotunity to teach in China for several years. He spent a great deal of time promoting the Baha'i ideals of service to mankind and the unity of all the peoples and ethnic groups of the world. During his remaining years in Sussex Keith was involved in the creation of the Artists co-Op and was often seen walking through town well into his nineties.
Keith will live on in the hearts of his beloved wife of 66 years, Janet and his nephew, Emric Bolton of PEI.
Keith Eldridge formerly of Sussex passed away on March 20, 2019 at the Ridgewood Veterans Care Facility in Saint John, NB at the age of 97.
Along with his parents, he is predeceased by his sister, Cecilia Bolton and her husband Kenneth.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the compassionate care of Wallace Funeral Home, 34 Sunnyside Drive, Sussex, (506-433-1176). A celebration of Keith's life will be held from Wallace Community Chapel on May 1st, 2019 at 11:00am. The interment will take place in Evergreen Memorial Park, Sussex.
Condolences to the family and donations may be made through WallaceFuneralHome.com
