Keith Dinsmore

Keith Dinsmore

Keith Dinsmore
July 21, 1943 – April 05, 2012
Des Moines, Iowa

Memorial Service: 1:00 P.M. April 11, 2012 at Fremont Funeral Chapel
Visitation: 11:00 A.M. until the time of service at 1:00 P.M. April 11, 2012 at Fremont Funeral Chapel
Interment: Burial of cremated remains at a later date.

Keith Dinsmore, 68, died April 5th, 2012 at his residence in Des Moines, IA. He was born July 21st, 1943, in Fremont IA, the son of Ruth and Deane Dinsmore. He graduated from Fremont High School in 1961, where he played baseball and basketball for the Fremont Wildcats. Keith served as editor of The Index as a sophomore and was sports editor of the Echo all 4 years while in Kirksville. During his last two years in college, Keith became the youngest sports editor of a daily newspaper in the nation when he accepted that position at the Kirksville Daily Express at the age of 20. Upon graduation, Keith joined the national headquarters staff of Sigma Tau Gamma and became editor of The Saga. A year later, he became the youngest chief executive of any national fraternity when he became Executive Director at the age of 22. During the next seven years in that office, he initiated an annual fundraising program, created an extensive network of volunteer leaders, launched an ambitious expansion program, chartered many alumni chapters, and was instrumental in creating the Sigma Tau Gamma Foundation. He also wrote and edited A Chain of Honor, the membership manual for the national fraternity, and edited the first national membership directory. Keith continued to serve his home chapter by publishing its first alumni directory in 1966, and its first chapter history three years later. He founded the Goetze Educational Foundation in 1967, and helped establish a dozen annual scholarships for chapter members. He was instrumental in purchasing the founding site of the fraternity in Warrensburg and the eventual construction of the national headquarters building. In 1973, Keith bought his hometown newspaper in Fremont, Iowa, and returned there to establish the Dinsmore Publishing Co., which encompassed more than 20 community newspapers over the next seven years. His weekly column was widely revered as a shining example of small town values, and Keith’s unbelievable wit and wisdom. Stemming from his prowess in the publications arena, he was honored in 1978 by his alma mater, N.E. Missouri State Teachers College as its Outstanding Alumnus in Communications Award. Keith continued to serve his fraternity and was elected to the Board of Directors of Sigma Tau Gamma in 1976, becoming its 21st national president in 1980. The first endowment fund campaign in the fraternity’s history was launched during his presidency. In 1984, he edited Teacher Immortal, the biography of Dr. Wilson C. Morris, published by the Sigma Tau Gamma Foundation. Keith also chaired the fundraising campaigns that resulted in the construction of Beta Chapter’s house and the addition of the Atterberry Brotherhood Center in 1996, when he chaired the Diamond Anniversary reunion. His third career after the fraternity and newspapers was in politics and media consulting. He worked for four presidential candidates, including President Jimmy Carter and recently Vice President Joe Biden. He has also served numerous candidates for governor, senator and mayors of Kansas City and St. Louis. Since surviving a bout with throat cancer in 2009, Keith focused on writing projects involving his family and his hometown as well as his beloved fraternity. Although he was still recovering from defeating cancer During 2011, Keith organized Fremont High School’s 50th reunion, which turned out to be a huge event and ended up encompassing Fremont graduates throughout history for a large gathering. He also recently helped to launch the Basil D. Hunt Memorial Scholarship within the Goetze Foundation. Keith is survived by his son: Bill Dinsmore of Columbia, MO and a brother: Rex Dinsmore of Tallmadge, OH. He was preceded in death by his Mother, Ruth Dinsmore, Father, Deane Dinsmore, and brother Larry Dinsmore. The Memorial Service The service will be held at 1:00 pm, Wednesday April 11th, at the Fremont Funeral Chapel, Walnut and Main Street, Fremont, Iowa. The Chapel open at 11:00 am for greetings with the family. Memorials may be made to the Goetze Educational Foundation, P.O. Box 414630, Kansas City, MO to support scholarships and educational programs for members of Beta Chapter of Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity or Rebel’s Cove Historical Society Scholarship Fund, Cindy Willcox,Secretary, RR 3 Box 179, Lancaster, MO 63548.