Keith Vernon Fortner, 67, of Houston, Missouri died May 8, 2014 at his home. He was born January 3, 1947 in Poplar Bluff, Missouri, the son of James and Joyce (Blake) Fortner. Keith was united in marriage to Donna Jo Jenkins on August 22, 1970 in Puxico, Missouri. To this union two daughters were born, Angela and Mandy. Keith is preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Michael. Survivors include his wife, Donna, of the home in Houston, MO; two daughters, Angela Smith and husband, Kelly, of El Dorado, CA and Mandy Lawson of Houston, MO; one brother, Jim Fortner and wife, Lyn, of Scott City, MO; one sister, Sally Climer and husband, Sonny, of Wildersville, TN; two brothers-in-law, Robert Jenkins and wife, Florence, of Puxico, MO and David Jenkins and Shirley of Perryville, MO; one sister-in-law, Marilyn Luetkenhaus and husband, Elmer, of Wentzville, MO; and seven grandchildren, Katie Fortner, Kelly John Smith, Kyleigh Smith, Joe Smith, Kristen Lawson, Madison Lawson, and Tyler Keith Lawson. Keith served his country in the United States Navy and was a Vietnam veteran earning two Purple Heart medals while serving as a Navy Corpsman with the Marine Corps in Vietnam. Early in his working career, he worked as a member of the Police Department in Poplar Bluff. He was then employed by the Missouri Department of Conservation, then the Mountain View Police Department. He retired from the Department of Corrections in Licking, Missouri. Keith and Donna had lived in Mountain View forty years before recently moving to Houston. Keith enjoyed hunting, fishing, and woodworking. He loved spending time with his grandchildren.