Keith Charles Bower

Keith Charles Bower, 64, of Cupertino, passed away peacefully on February 23, 2026, at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, surrounded by his loving family.

Keith was born on September 12, 1961, in San Francisco. He was the eldest of two sons born to Keith Delano Bower, an electrical engineer originally from Ohio, and Helvia Badillo Bower, a chemist originally from Mexico. Keith and his brother Alan grew up in Cupertino, where they attended local schools, including Monta Vista High School. There, Keith excelled both academically and artistically, playing tennis and singing with the Madrigals, the school's a cappella choir.

Keith went on to attend the University of California at Davis, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. During his time at U.C. Davis, he formed lasting friendships as an active member of the Theta Xi fraternity and participated in doubles tennis, lacrosse, and floor hockey. Keith later earned his Juris Doctor from the Santa Clara University School of Law.

Keith began his legal career with the firms of Hoge Fenton Jones & Appel and Coddington, Hicks & Danforth, where he practiced civil litigation, including insurance defense, product liability, and aviation defense. As a very young attorney, he opened his own litigation practice in Santa Clara, which he led with dedication and integrity for 35 years. Over the course of his career, he represented individuals and businesses in personal injury, business litigation, real estate, product liability, and premises liability matters. He was especially proud to have served for more than three decades as outside litigation counsel to the Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University.

Keith was known as a tenacious advocate whose courtroom skill was balanced by humor, warmth, and compassion. He relished cross-examination, and his quick wit and practical judgment were hallmarks of his success. Even in adversarial settings, he had a remarkable ability to build lasting friendships while achieving excellent results for his clients.

Outside of his profession, Keith found joy in music and sports. He loved singing and playing the piano and in recent years returned to competitive doubles tennis, participating in USTA matches and cherishing time with a close-knit group of friends. Though he embraced life with enthusiasm, his greatest pride and deepest joy were his family. He was a devoted husband to Pamela and a loving father to their twin daughters, Kacey and Karly. Nothing made him prouder than watching his daughters thrive in college.

In addition to his wife and daughters, Keith is survived by his mother, Helvia Bower; his brother, Alan Bower; his niece, Allison Bower; his parents-in-law, Harold and Maribeth Smith; and his sisters-in-law, Dana Smith and Kathy McCarthy (Kevin).

Keith will be laid to rest on March 6, 2026, at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Los Altos. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. at the All Saints Chapel at Gate of Heaven, followed by a graveside service at 11:00 a.m. A Celebration of Life reception will follow at the Saratoga Country Club in Saratoga.