Robert "Keith" Hartley

After many challenging years, Keith reached out for peace and let go of this life February 2026 in Gilbert, Arizona.

Born April 1956 in San Jose, CA, Keith spent his elementary and middle school years in Carson City, NV with his mom Sandy and stepdad Jim. He returned to San Jose at age 14 to live with his dad Bob, stepmom Carol and baby sister Diana. He moved to Arizona in 2000 and while he missed many friends in California, he was content in his new home.

A keenness for mechanics and cool vehicles of any kind was woven throughout his life. There were Hot Wheels and slot cars. He dismantled and rebuilt a car engine at age seven. Learning and wrenching at his father’s knee, he became an integral part of the local hot-rod community that congregated in the family home garage at the corner of Tobias & Amelia. He served in the Air Force as a Munitions Technician and spent decades as a solid-propellant rocket fuel test-stand Engineer at United Technologies. He ran his Ford Falcon, a dragster, and two motorcycles 100s of times down the racetrack and only once did he not make it to the finish line and bore the scars to prove it. He helped many others build their cars better-stronger-faster so they could dial-in at the drag races or zip around town in a cool car, too. His later years took him out of the garage and off the road, but never too far away from his hot-rod heart and he kept building model cars and airplanes nearly to the end.

Keith loved all those things. He also loved Snoopy, cartoons, and salt-water taffy. He loved helping people and hearing their stories.

Most of all, Keith loved his family. He considered himself blessed to have four loving parents. He would tell you his best and happiest roles were those of Big Brother to Diana and Uncle Keith to his nieces Paisley and Daisy, who he adored. And he wholeheartedly loved his chosen family, too. There are those of you reading this that loved him just as much as we did and called him Friend, Brother, Uncle; and for that, he felt honored.

What we loved about Keith was his talent for being able to fix or build anything you needed; his giant, kind heart; his sturdy shoulders and gift for listening; his bear hugs; and his great big laugh, all of which are sorely missed.

Preceded in death by his parents Robert & Carol Hartley and Sandra & Jim Griffin.
Survived by his sister Diana Hartley Flitsch and her family Mike, Paisley, and Daisy Jane.