Keith Erwin Herbold

Keith Erwin Herbold

NEW ELLENTON — On Wednesday, February 11, 2026, the Lord decided that Keith Erwin Herbold had fulfilled his purpose here on Earth. After years of struggling to breathe, he took his last ragged breath here and took his first full, unencumbered breath in a place more glorious that we can even fathom. While our hearts break here on Earth, we celebrate his eternity in Heaven.

Keith was born on February 6, 1953, in Cleveland, Ohio, the youngest son of Erwin and Eleanore Herbold. He graduated from Berea High School in 1971 and received his associate’s degree from United Electronics Institute in 1973. He was a service technician for Diebold Nixdorf before retiring in 2019 after more than 30 years.

He married the love of his life, Rita, on February 14, 1976, at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Holt, Michigan, and they spent more than 50 wonderful years together, raising five daughters. He was a Lutheran his entire life, having been baptized in 1953 and confirmed in 1968. He was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Berea, Ohio; St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Holt, MI; Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Summerville, SC; Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Augusta, GA; and was a founding member of Peace Lutheran Church in downtown Aiken, where he played guitar with the Worship Team. 

Family was everything to him, and he thought retirement was the greatest thing in the world.

He is survived by his wife, Rita; daughters, Sara DeLaCruz, Karen Klock, Michelle Sullivan, Melanie Phillips, and Lisa Herbold; grandchildren, Lauren, Robert, Meagan, Matthew, Emma, Bradley, Andrew, Bryan, and Katelyn; and his brother, Roger. He was preceded in death by his parents and his oldest brother Thomas.

Funeral arrangements will be announced at a later time.

Cole Funeral Home, 1544 University Parkway, Aiken, SC 29801