Keith was born in 1933 in Magrath, Alberta but grew up in Lacombe, Alberta. Following graduation from High School, Keith trained and worked at the Royal Bank of Canada as a junior in Edmonton and other parts of Alberta.
Unsure that this was a lifetime vocation, Keith spent the summer working at the Banff Springs Hotel. While in Banff, after conversations with co-workers, his interest in the arts came to the fore. Keith was accepted by Ryerson Institute of Technology for their Radio and Television Arts Program.
After graduating from Ryerson, Keith went to work with CTV in Edmonton, followed by a time in CHAT TV in Medicine Hat, Alberta. At that time CBC was just getting off the ground and Keith successfully applied for a position at the Edmonton CBC Station as a TV Producer. For a number of years Keith was based out of Edmonton but travelled across the country. One well-known national program was the popular educational competition ‘Reach for the Top’.
While working in Edmonton, Keith met university Professor Alex Cook who introduced him to Moral Re-Armament (IofC). Because of this friendship, Keith arranged for a group from Africa, travelling with their film ‘Freedom’, to be interviewed on CBC. He could tell from the moment he met them that they had something he wanted.
During the visit of the African group, one of them, John Amata, asked Keith if he could drive him to Calgary to meet First Nations Chief Walking Buffalo who was at the Calgary Stampede. They all then drove to Morley, the Stoney Nakoda Reserve 45 minutes West of Calgary. This began Keith’s long association with First Nations.
One of the positions that Keith held in the CBC was Union Representative. After meetings in Ontario, he had the conviction that he was meant to be full time with Moral Re-Armament. He told his boss that he was leaving CBC but his boss said ‘make sure this is what you want and take three month’s leave before making the decision.’ These 3 months took Keith too South Africa and Nigeria where he met the African friends again, and then to Caux, Switzerland. By the time he arrived back in Canada, he was convinced working with Moral Re-Armament is what he was meant to do.
In 1976, ‘Song of Asia' arrived in Canada. Invited by the Chiefs of Treaty Seven in Alberta. Song of Asia was a musical revue giving stories of personal change and sharing answers to divisions, told in song and action by a group of South East Asian, Australian and New Zealand young people. Keith took a leadership role in their visit, and a year later coordinated the visit of members of Treaty Seven to New Zealand. This was to commemorate the centennial of the signing of Treaty Seven and an opportunity to meet and build friendships with the Maori community.
Some time later, Keith was invited to London, England to work on film being made by MRA. While there he met his future wife, Joy Arthur. Joy was also working with MRA in London at that time.
Keith and Joy married in the UK December 9th, 1978 and made their home in Calgary, Alberta. Keith’s friendships with First Nations continued.
In 1986 Keith and Joy moved to Ottawa to assist in the national office of MRA where their work in healing the relationship between First Nations continued. Also, at that time it was a difficult period when Quebec province was trying to become an independent province. A program of ‘Partners in Reconciliation’ was created to bring together groups from Quebec and Ontario together, working with fellow co-workers and local organizations from Quebec, Ontario and other provinces towards better understanding.
Returning to Calgary after 14 years in Ottawa, the conviction of Keith and Joy was to expand the work of MRA/IofC in Canada. This led to inviting a Mexican couple to help. This connection with Latin America led them to lasting friendships and visits to Latin America.
Today, the Newmans make their home in Calgary, Alberta.
