Leighton B. McKeithen Jr.

Leighton B. McKeithen, Jr.
Laurinburg
Leighton B. McKeithen, Jr., 88, died on Wednesday, May 8, 2013, in Laurinburg.
Born in Cameron, North Carolina, on March 12, 1925, he was the son of the late Leighton and Fay Ritchie McKeithen.
Mr. McKeithen was minister of Highland Presbyterian Church in Fayetteville, NC, for 14 of his 54 years in the ministry. A graduate of Davidson College and a veteran of active service with the 34th Infantry Division in Italy in WWII, The Reverend Mr. McKeithen completed his M. Div. at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, VA.
With his wife, Edna Guin McKeithen, he began his ministry at Sherwood, Big Rockfish and Comfort Presbyterian Churches. Mr. McKeithen then served as Executive Director of Fayetteville Presbytery. He was minister of Elkin Presbyterian Church in Elkin, NC, from 1960 to 1964 and returned to Fayetteville in 1965 as the minister of Highland Presbyterian Church. He was called as the associate minister at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Charlotte in 1978, and in 1980 as minister of Graves Memorial Presbyterian Church in Clinton where he served until his retirement in 1987.
In retirement, he continued to serve, as interim minister in 12 different congregations in eastern and central North Carolina, returning to Highland Presbyterian Church to assist with Pastoral Care. He also found more time for the hobbies he had enjoyed throughout his adult life: beekeeping and honey extraction as well as gardening, especially propagating camellias, azaleas and rhododendrons. He also became active as chaplain in 34th Infantry Division Red Bull Association Reunions and with his wife, Edna, led many trips to Italy and to Israel. Saint Andrews Presbyterian College conferred the degree of Doctor of Divinity upon the Reverend Mr. McKeithen in May of 2004.
He is survived by his wife, Edna G. McKeithen, of Scotia Village in Laurinburg; their children, Leighton McKeithen, III, of Berwyn, PA, Madge McKeithen, of New York, NY, and Danny McKeithen, of Atlanta, GA; his sister, Isabel McKeithen Thomas; five nieces and nephews; and 10 grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held at Highland Presbyterian Church at 12 noon on Tuesday, May 14, 2013 with burial at 4 p.m. that day in Cameron. Sullivan Highland Funeral Home is handling the services. In lieu of flowers, please send gifts in Mr. McKeithen's memory to Davidson College and Union Theological Seminary.