David B. Keddy

KEDDY, DAVID BISSETT (Dec. 9, 1935- March 8, 2017) David was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia to Donald (D.C.) and Reta Keddy. He was the youngest of four children and adored his older siblings. David joined the Canadian Army and remained in the Reserves until 1979, when he moved to Mississippi. David was an accomplished physician, receiving his medical degree from Dalhousie University. He and his brother Bruce, a surgeon, often worked as a team at Fisherman's Memorial Hospital in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, where Dr. Keddy would assist his brother during surgeries. Dr. Keddy was well-known for his love of medicine and believed that getting to know his patients was central in their healing process. He would often make house calls and felt this was an important piece of medicine that was sometimes missed by other physicians. David was an avid sailor and boater. In fact, he was so in tune with his internal compass that he was unable to sleep, no matter where he was, until he had figured out where due North was. Most summer days were spent on the boat with friends and family at Bachman's Island, a favorite local island that saw years of happy memories. He was a gifted storyteller and captivated his audiences with humor and grace. He also loved to play the bagpipes and would bring his pipes on the boat with him to regale the crowd with "Scotland the Brave" or "Amazing Grace." After moving to Mississippi, David would play his bagpipes every July 1 (Canada Day) early in the morning in his backyard as an invitation for the neighbors to join the celebration. Neighbors would arrive to enjoy brunch with the family and often stayed to enjoy cocktails as the day wore on. David moved to Florida in 1990 and began his career in emergency medicine. He became a Mason and was proud to be a Shriner, often driving a busload of children from the Pensacola area to the Tampa Shriner's Hospital. He cherished his friendships with his fellow brothers and eventually moved to the Masonic Home of Florida in January 2017 at the age of 81. He transitioned peacefully under the care of Suncoast Hospice. David is joyfully reunited with his parents, Donald Charles and Reta Kathleen, his son Stephen Alexander, and siblings Bruce and Dorothy. He is survived by his sister Barbara Clouston, daughters Susan (Steve) Saucier, Sharon (John) Rogers, Deirdre (Ronald) Martin, and grandchildren Sean Keddy, Daniel Keddy, Ian Rogers, Erin Henley, Brenton (Rosemary) Keddy, Rachel (Joseph) Rhodes, and Colleen Martin. Memorial service will be held Monday, March 13th, 10AM at the Masonic Home of Florida.