Keith Lawrence Saltvick

Keith Lawrence Saltvick passed away from surgical complications in the early morning hours of June 23rd, 2022 after a long battle with his cardiovascular health.

Keith is survived by his daughter, Kerry Leeann Marie Saltvick; his sisters Sally Dudek, Nancy Bebout, Janet Nelson, and Kendall O'Sullivan; his brothers David "Larry" Saltvick Jr., and Forest O'Sullivan. He is predeceased by his mother Hazel House, his father David Saltvick Sr., his sisters Sue Tomlinson and Helen O'Sullivan, and his brother Anthony "Tony" Oliver.

His mother went into labor at Mercy Hospital during The Great Kern County Earthquake of August 1952. As the hospital walls crumbled around them from the magnitude 5.8 quake, Hazel was whisked to safety to deliver Keith in the early morning of August 23rd, 1952.

A youth with eyes on the horizon and devil-may-care attitude, Keith spent most of his high school days being chased by Booker Kilgore at West High School, where he didn't complete his degree; and stints at South High School and a school in Virginia. He would hold a variety of jobs, including as an 18-wheeler trucker hauling mail from Los Angeles to Seattle and long-horn steer from Texas to Chicago. He was also a professional chef, caterer, laborer for the Kern County and Paso Robles fairgrounds, carpenter, and arcade game technician. In retirement, he partnered with the Bakersfield Legal Aid to combat housing discrimination, and assisted the Census.

At the age of 42, Keith became a father and cleaned up his act as he fought a long and difficult custody battle. He would raise Kerry as a single parent. "You were the best thing to ever happen to me, I love you," he said to her the evening he passed.

This jack-of-many-trades self-proclaimed himself as "The Bingo King of Bakersfield" as he supplied several games around the city and hosted many, many, more games in the nonprofit space. Revenue from the Bingo games he hosted was donated to the community, including the Loyal Order of the Moose, and Bakersfield Police Activities League, among other endeavors.

Keith liked his cigars, scotch [especially Chivas Regal], motorcycles, and grooving to Journey, Neil Diamond, Heart, and The Doors. He jumped out of airplanes, rode Sturgis Motorcycle Rally several times; and did the work to earn his "blue coat" to become a Fellow of the Loyal Order of the Moose.

For the life he lived, how fitting for him to leave this world during a lightning storm on Bingo Night. His family already misses him very much.

Family, friends, and members of The Loyal Order of the Moose are invited to attend his Celebration of Life at Stockdale Moose Lodge #2178 on Thursday, July 14th, 2022 at 11am for a potluck brunch. A private Celebration of Life for close friends and family will follow.

"Bigotes de Gato", aka "Keith-y", leaves this world with the following isms:

"You've done well pilgrim, to keep so much hair on your head when so many are after it." - Jeremiah Johnson

"It doesn't matter, it's in the past!" - Rafiki from The Lion King

"Thanks for talking to me, you're a better person because of it."