Family and friends are remembering Keith Holsman and sharing this with his community:

Keith Holsman passed away April 12, 2023, at age 81.

Keith was born in Bigfork, Minnesota, September 24, 1941, to Marie and Spencer Holsman. Spencer was an officer in the Boilermakers union and was deployed to Kennewick, Washington, then to Seattle, where the family settled near Schmitz Park. Keith met his lifelong partner, Donna Huntley, at Madison Junior High School. The pair started their courtship and held hands as they crossed the street to West Seattle High School, where they graduated in 1960. Keith and Donna married in 1962 and had their first child, daughter Kelley, in 1964, then son Jeff in 1967. The family of four settled in Fauntlee Hills and have remained in West Seattle.

Keith started his career as a Boilermaker at Todd Shipyard, then changed trades to Sheetmetal Local 66, where he worked as Journeyman. In the 1970s, Keith had several stints in Prudhoe Bay Alaska working on the oil pipeline which he termed as the “wild west.” Keith retired from Local 66 in the mid-1980s and began to purchase apartment buildings with Donna. Keith was a jack of all trades and could do all tasks involved with managing the apartment buildings. He loved his tools and bought the best, the biggest, and the most powerful. “Tim the Toolman” from the TV show Home Improvement would have been envious.

Keith was loved by his three grandchildren, who were lucky enough to have him in their lives into their adulthood. Sadly, on April 5, 2023 Keith had a heart attack and passed away a week later with his family at his side. Keith is survived by his loving wife of 60 years, Donna, their two children Kelley Porter (Mike) and Jeff Holsman (Marianne), and their three grandchildren Amanda Dray (Matthew), Chris Porter and River Porter (Schantell).

The family wishes to thank the staff at Cherry Hill Swedish Hospital for their care and support.

We will miss his great one-liners that will live on in our family and keep us chuckling for years to come. Life is not the same without him.

(WSB publishes West Seattle obituaries and memorial announcements by request, free of charge. Please email the text, and a photo if available, to westseattleblog@gmail.com)