Keith's story began when he was born in South Shields at South Tyneside District Hospital on 22nd of December 1971 to Florrie and John; he weighed in at 10 pound 8 ounces. Life can be very cruel at times, as it was soon discovered that Keith was born with severe health issues. But his Mam and Dad, along with his family turned Keith’s illness into a new challenge. Their love for him was unconditional and Keith became a very special young lad.

Keith, or ‘Keithy’ as the family sometimes referred to him, was a baby brother to Florence, John, Gary, Elaine, Denise and Colin, and their family home was at Walter Street, Jarrow. Keith’s siblings adored him, he was the baby and rightly so they spoilt him.

Keith adored Christmas times, the whole glitz and glamour of it all, and his Mam made their home like Santa’s grotto. He loved musical Santa’s, and if you bought him a present connected with Disney, he was thrilled. Mickey Mouse was just one of Keith’s favourites.

Keith attended Greenfield School, where the staff loved him. And who wouldn’t, because he had the most beautiful, biggest brown eyes. Keith also spent some time at the Adult Learning Centre at Hebburn. Sadly it was at this time when he began taking epileptic fits.

Keith just loved being out and about, and one year Keith along with his Mam and Dad enjoyed a lovely holiday to Silloth. Keith loved cars, he just loved being in them, and he didn’t mind buses either. Over the years his Mam and Dad have had many cars to take Keith and the family for days out. As long as there was music playing in the car, then Keith was in his element and the louder the better.

One of their cars was a white Granada Estate. His sister Denise had just passed her test, when Keith and John along with Denise at the wheel went for a drive. Denise was clueless as to where she was going, so her Dad told her to just follow the white lines. The three of them ended up in Skipton!! Keith just loved being out and about, and wherever they went if there was an ice cream at the end of the journey, then even better. John was telling me that he never ever had a full ice cream to himself, as Keith just had to look at him, with those big brown eyes, and John passed it over to him. And if there was a chocolate flake in the cornet, better still. And all of this was after Keith had eaten his own.

They also had a Caravette, which his brother Colin usually drove. All of the family piled into the Caravette, and they had some wonderful times, Kendal was a favourite of theirs. Keith was happy just being driven around; and he always had a lovely smile for passersby. He even had a model Caravette in his room, which was a present from his Mam.

On one particular occasion young Florence his sister and husband Michael, took Keith and his Mam and Dad to Allendale, where they stayed on a farm, but the weather turned really bad. They were only there for a few hours, because it turned out to be one of the worst ever storms at the time, with gale force winds which brought down huge trees around them. So poor Michael got the call and he was ‘summoned’ to takethem back home immediately, but Keith being Keith didn’t mind at all because he'd been in the car twice that day.

But no matter what, every trip or event which they went to there was always something funny happened with everyone giggling and Keith laughing at everybody else laughing!!! In Denise’s words at times they were like the "Clampets on Tour".

Keith loved football, him and his Dad & brother John often had a little kick around with the ball in the park, and if there was a bowls match taking place then Keith was in his element, and he also had a very keen interest in snooker.

We already know he was one of the biggest Dalek fans going, from the Dr Who series. So if anyone was stuck, as to what to buy him, then any piece of memorabilia to do with the Daleks didn’t go amiss, that is if he didn’t already have it!

Daleks Hail from the Planet of Skaro
They are enemies of The Doctor you know,
Their fearful leader is called Davros,
He’ll scream out orders if you make him cross.
Davros has Daleks of white and gold,
They sure are a spectacle to behold,
Beware of Supreme Daleks, they are black,
Try to stop their plans; they’ll shoot you in the back.
The Doctor has fought them for many a year,
When it comes to Daleks he has no fear,
You think he’s eradicated them from our lives,
But they soon re-appear like a nasty surprise.


Keith listened to many, many of types of music, from Pavarotti to Nat King Cole, Jennifer Rush or Roy Orbison. He didn’t mind listening to a little it a bit of Earth Wind and Fire either. And Keith loved Barry White singing “My First, My Last, My Everything". Keith also loved Denise singing to him, she made him smile. And while Keith was listening to music on the radio or the TV he often had a little jig.

If Keith was relaxing he liked to lie, on his seat, which was the settee. While enjoying one of his favourite drinks, which was either a glass of dandelion and burdock, coca cola, or a cup of cool tea. While listening to the Little Waster Bobby Thompson as he was one of Keith’s favourite comedians, Keith laughed before everyone else did at the punch lines, and he had a hearty infectious laugh. And another duo Keith loved was Laurel and Hardy and he had an ornament of them in the living room.

Keith also enjoyed watching his Post Man Pat DVD’s, and he liked the series Knightrider in which David Hasselhoff's black car Kit spoke to him. Keith also loved Cannon and Ball; one year Denise got tickets to see them at The City Hall. When Keith was absolutely thrilled to see his heroes in person and he received a signed photograph from them.

Keith had an excellent friend in his Border Collie Buster, they adored one another. The pair of them ran for miles in the park, Buster was a typical Collie dog, who loved to round everyone up, and if Keith was poorly then Buster was the first to know.

It has to be said that no matter who crossed paths with Keith, they loved him. Over the
years his Uncle Brian and Aunty Nora always made sure that they brought him sweets.

Keith was a very loving brother in law, a doting uncle, and great uncle to his nieces and
nephews and they loved him very dearly. Emma always sang to Keith and when Laura was leaving him one kiss wouldn’t do, she had to give him two kisses. And on that note can I please ask Laura forward to say some words which she has written ‘Remembering Keith’.


REMEMBERING KEITH

Keith, If you were still here I'd still be able to make you smile.
If you were still here I'd still be able to hear you laugh.
If you were still here I'd still be able to give you hugs and kisses.
But that's never going to happen again in my life.
I'll never get to make you smile again.
I'll never get to hear you laugh again.
I'll never get to give you hugs and kisses ever again.
All that's left of you is your favourite seat in the house.
And every time I look at it I see it's empty. And I just tear up.
You've gone now, to a better place, but you've not gone from my heart.
You were my best friend and I lost you like the press of a button.
Whenever I had to leave the house to go home I always
used to give you kisses and it always made you smile and laugh.
Whenever your favourite cartoon came on you used to smile so brightly.
It made the whole room happier.
Yes you had a disability where you couldn't talk. But whenever I asked you something like if you wanted to read a book, it was as if you could talk because I would be able to understand you.
Just because you had this disability it did not mean you were ugly or weird.
It made you perfect. Because in my eyes you were perfect.
I'll never meet another man in my life like you.
You were the most handsome man I've ever met in my life.
Your smile always made me happy.
And best of all you were my best friend. And I love you and miss you.
I'll never not think of you. For you're always in my heart.
And forever you will stay there.

R.I.P. Uncle Keith Belfield one of my ‘Bestest’ Friends Ever 24/6/15


Keith had a team of Carers from Merit. The girls even had Postman Pat as their ring tone on their mobile phone for ‘Keithy’ as they called him. Keith’s Mam and Dad have asked me to say a Big Thank You to all of the team for their support and kindness.

And on that note, Keith’s brothers and sisters have asked me to say that there are no words to describe how much their Mam & Dad - Florrie and John did for their son Keith. And of course all of the family were always there to help them. But it was Florrie and John, who were with Keith 24 hours a day, and over his short life span he wanted for absolutely nothing, they dedicated their life to him and his happiness was all down to them.

Facebook is full of lovely tributes to Keith’s family. One of which is “The Belfield’s are a very close family and excellent at looking after one another’’

Keith very sadly passed away suddenly, but peacefully, at home on the 24th of June 2015 .

Keith was a special gentleman and he will be greatly missed.