Tribute

After several years of heroic health battles, it is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of
our much-loved husband, brother, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, Keith William
Bridal, on November 1, 2023.
Keith was born on April 18, 1931, on a farm in Crystal City, Manitoba. As a young man,
employed as a sign-maker and dye-cutter, Keith made his way west and eventually met and
married his surviving wife Florence Josephine ‘Josie’ (nee Wilkinson) with whom he just
celebrated his 68th wedding anniversary. He is also survived by his sister Marlene, brother Eddy
(Sandy), children Karen (Jeff), Ron (Debbie), Scott (Lisa), grandchildren Brennan (Joanne), Conner
(Josh), Kandace, Courtney (Joe), Tori (Curtis), Tyler, Ali (Lucas), Dylan, Lindsay (Robbie), and
Hayden and great grandchildren Ethan, Hannah, Theo, Norah, Jordyn, Tisyn, Hazely, Ryin, Elliot,
and Elias.
Keith was predeceased by, and is now in the loving arms of, his parents, Margaret and Charles,
his brother, Allen, and his grandson Derek.
Keith will be remembered first for his strong allegiance to family, keeping them close being one
of his strongest values. He had a passion for music, most notably from the thirties and forties.
He loved old movies and televised team sports. Keith’s collection of colourful shirts brightened
everyone’s day. He loved family pets. He ate to live (desserts) and had a disdain for all
vegetables saying, “You might tell me I need to eat vegetables, but I made it to 92 without them!”
During his life, Keith had the support and counsel of a best friend in Menno Friesen for which
the family is extremely grateful. Keith, Menno, and Keith’s brother Eddy were partners in faith
as they maintained their own personal bible study group, over the years and over the internet,
influenced by the writings of J. Preston Eby.
Another profound influence in Keith’s life came through his affiliation with Alcoholics
Anonymous. The November 1st  entry in ‘Twenty-Four Hours a Day”, a book that offers daily
thoughts, meditations, and prayers for recovering alcoholics, says  “Nothing can happen to me
that God does not will for me”.
The family would like to thank the staff at The Oxford Senior Care facility in Abbotsford for care
and support in his final days. A warm hug to the staff of Chartwell Hampton House in Chilliwack
who truly included Dad in their retirement living family. We are also grateful to the teams at
Fraser Health and Chilliwack and Abbotsford Regional Hospitals for the professionalism and
friendship they showed Keith during his various visits.
If there is one statement Dad would say sums up his journey through this thing we call life, it is
a line made famous by the late Frank Sinatra, “I did it my way.”