Keith Criss, retired Lt. Col USA, of Copperas Cove died March 5, 2022 in Copperas Cove at the age of 87.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. March 11 at Scott’s Funeral Home Chapel. Burial with full military honors and Masonic rites will follow at the Gatesville Masonic Cemetery.
The family received visitors March 10 at the funeral home.
Carl Keith Criss was born on March 4, 1935 in Centerville, Ohio to George and Virginia Byers Criss. He grew up in Somerton and Akron. He graduated from South High School in Akron in 1953.
He received his bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Akron in 1957, where he was in R.O.T.C.
After his graduation, he entered the U.S. Army and was stationed in many locations throughout the United States and abroad, serving one tour in Korea and two tours in Vietnam. He was a transportation officer in the transportation corps during his military career and was in charge of transporting Bob Hope’s show throughout Southeast Asia. Also, while stationed in Hawaii, he was responsible for the motor escort in transporting President Nixon to greet the Apollo 13 astronauts.
He transferred from active duty to the Army Reserve in 1972 as a major and retired in 1980 from the reserves as a lieutenant colonel.
After his retirement, he began a second career as a civil service employee at Fort Hood, where he was one of the railroad engineers and later worked with the Department of Logistics. He retired a second time in 2005 at the age of 70.
Keith was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Copperas Cove and was active in many organizations including the Masonic Lodge, where he was a dual member of local lodges, the Order of Eastern Star, Scottish Rite and Shriners.
Wherever he resided, he was always involved in the local Boy Scouts and served as scoutmaster. He also was an active member of the Kempner Volunteer Fire Department, American Legion Post 277 in Lampasas, Military Officers Association of America and the Military Order of World Wars.
Keith loved to travel and had visited every state in the U.S. except Alaska. In September 2021, he fulfilled his bucket list by going on a cruise to Alaska with his daughter, Cynthia.
He was preceded in death by his son, William “Bill” Powell Criss in 1980, and his wife, Inge Criss, in 2015.
Keith is survived by his daughters Cynthia Waxman and husband Tom of Reno, Nevada, Elizabeth Johnson and husband Darrell of Parksville, Kentucky, and Erica Martin and husband Randy of Van Alstyne, Texas; six grandchildren, Shane Balzen, Criss Martin, Jennifer Bull, Justin Johnson, Jessica Johnson and Hunter Puszkiewicz; and nine great-grandchildren.
The family requested memorials be directed to the Kempner Volunteer Fire Department, 315 Pecan St., Kempner, TX 76539 or Immanuel Lutheran Church, 922 Lutheran Church Rd., Copperas Cove, TX 76522.
