News » Keith Smith (1954-2009): A Celebration of Life

Keith Smith, valued Access Tucson board member, producer, volunteer and friend died Monday, September 14. For the past year, he’d been courageously battling pancreatic cancer. He will be sorely missed but his energy, enthusiasm, kindness, and compassion for others lives on in his work.

As a child welfare advocate, most recently a Family Connections Supervisor for the Arizona Department of Economic Security, Keith was passionate about community support for families in recovery from substance abuse or domestic violence. When he discovered Access Tucson, Keith found a way to create more impact for his calling. He blended social work with video production by engaging families in recovery into his public access television projects.

Keith first worked with Access Tucson by using our Tucson Vision service for the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES). He produced and hosted DES: Breakthrough Series, a six-part talk show series highlighting the community services available from DES.

Keith in the control room.

He then took his production skills to the next level with Full Circle: Recovery Takes a Community, a multi-episode program to demonstrate what an ideal transition would look like for families exiting juvenile court. For this ambitious project, Keith utilized the more technical studio A and Access Tucson’s 26’ remote production truck.

Keith in Studio A.

Most recently, Keith created Portraits of Compassion, a long-form PSA about the S.O.B.E.R Project’s efforts to provide recovery services to people affected by addictions.

Suzette Audiss, Jim Thomas, Lisa Horner and Keith Smith accept the WAVE Community Media Excellence Award.

Keith won two national WAVE awards for the last two projects mentioned. Throughout his time at Access Tucson, Keith was always learning, exceeding, teaching and giving. He was extremely generous with his time and his kindness was renowned.

Keith considered Access Tucson a remarkable opportunity to create community connection and Access Tucson considered Keith to be quite a remarkable person to have known.

Keith is survived by his wife Chris, their daughter Sophia and his daughters Brittany, Alison and Rachel. Chris has requested that donations be made in Keith’s name to Access Tucson.

Click here to make a donation. Thank you.

Keith Smith’s obituary

Keith Smith’s blog “Mixing It Up with Pancreatic Cancer”