Keith Edward Voorhees, 79, of Elkton, died Sunday, July 10, 2011, at the Grand Meadow Healthcare Center after a courageous battle with colon cancer.

Keith was born Sept. 5, 1931, in Elkton, Minn., the son of Edward and Florence (Peterson) Voorhees. He graduated from Elkton High School in 1949. Keith enlisted in the Army in 1953 and served in the Korean War in Okinawa for two years. He also briefly worked at IBM in Rochester. Keith was married to Dorine Huemann on Nov. 20, 1965, at Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Austin. They lived near Elkton where Keith farmed until his retirement. He was a longtime member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Adams.

Keith was very active in the community where he served on the Clayton Township Board for 45 years, the Rural Adams Fire Board, Adams Area Joint Powers Ambulance Board, Mower County Planning and Zoning Commission and the Mower County Township Association. He was a proud member of Adams Post 146 American Legion. Keith enjoyed traveling, hunting, fishing, camping, listening to old-time and country music, morning coffee with friends, bartending at the Adams American Legion, and watching/listening to Minnesota sports, especially the Vikings and Twins. Keith also enjoyed spending time with his family, especially being with his grandchildren and attending their sporting events and other activities.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers-in-law, Warren “Top” Henslin and Gene Holderness.

Keith is survived by his wife, Dorine Voorhees of Elkton; daughters and sons-in-law, Janell and Mike McLeish of Owatonna, Minn., Renae and Dean Bendtsen of Rose Creek, Minn.; grandchildren, Samantha, Jesse and Tyler of Owatonna, Brock, Decker, Corbyn and Sydney of Rose Creek; sisters, Floris Holderness, Dodge Center, Minn., Joyce (Elmer) Kienitz of Raymond, Minn.; many nieces; nephews and cousins.

Funeral services will be 11 a.m., Thursday, July 14, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Adams with Father Thomas Loomis officiating and Father LaVerne Trocinski assisting. Interment will be in the Sacred Heart Cemetery with Adams Post 146 in charge of military rites. Visitation will be at the Adams Funeral Home on Wednesday, July 13, from 4 to 8 p.m. and at the church on Thursday for one hour before the service.