Nellysford
Nelson County, Virginia
I’m not sure Keith Dix ever raised thyme, though I am betting he did at least once. If Keith ever gave you farming advice, you took it. If he ever offered you a driveway blade, you bought it. About 10 years ago I got an old red tractor blade from Keith. I’d been looking for a used one. New ones were pretty expensive and I only needed something to scrape the driveway once a year or so. Keith heard I needed one and said something to me about having one. “How’s $100.00?,” he asked. I said, “Keith even as old as that is, it’s still worth plenty more. These things are costly.” He wouldn’t take a penny more and had it ready to load on my trailer when I got there. I still use it to this very day. That’s the kind of person Keith was. If he could help you out, he would. If he couldn’t personally, he’d find a way to make it happen.
For years you’ve seen me write about people that have passed on in Nelson. Now having been here for over 20 years, we’ve met so many folks and become their friends over time. You often hear me say “this one hurt” or “I really felt this one” when writing memories of someone leaving us. This one really stung. Let me tell you why.
We moved to Nelson full time in early 2004. After coming to visit for several years we pulled the trigger and made the permanent move from Tennessee. As we settled in the area, first buying a house in Greenfield, and starting what was then Nelson County Life, Basic Necessities became the hub of our places to hang out. Keith and his wife Bev Lacey had bought Basics with its founder Kay Pfaltz around that time. And, so began a long stretch of memories and experiences that shaped who we are and who our children have become. Hours and months of hanging out at Basic turned into years. Keith & Bev were always there.
They had a legit flower farm just outside of Nellysford, Blue Heron Farm. Every morning when I’d be at Basics with the kids for breakfast, I’d see Keith come in with fresh flowers from the farm. He’d sell some of what they didn’t sell to commercial operations and event planners for weddings and such. We’d always have small talk when he’d stop in. It varied from politics, to farming, to weather and more. Politically we couldn’t have been farther apart. And you know what, it never mattered. We had such in depth great discussions. It never got heated. To the contrary, we’d often laugh when trying to make our point. Or he’d sort of gently grin and say something like, “Well we’ll see how that goes for you.” It was always pleasant.
Keith had an affection for good bourbon. For years he’d have a small glass each evening after the day was done on the farm. Now and then Yvette and I were fortunate enough to be around for the daily ritual. It’s honestly some of my fondest early memories of Nelson.
Keith, like many of us, has a vivid past. He bought his Nelson farm property back in 2000. He and Bev married in 2004 and moved here for good. (trivia, we share the same wedding anniversary as they do, July 10th – just a year difference – It’s also the late Earl Hamner’s birthday date. Ironic at a minimum)
After Hurricane Katrina clobbered New Orleans Keith jumped right in and started helping to rebuild homes there. He was a man of many talents. He ran crews with Habitat while in his 70s back then. Eventually they bought a second place down there and would spend much of the colder winter there after the farm was done for the season here. Keith was driving back and forth to Louisiana well into his late 80s nearing 90. He was absolutely amazing for his age. I often told Yvette, “I want to be like Keith when get that age.” It was just incredible to watch.
There were dozens and dozens of people that knew Keith far better and longer than we did. But we luckily got to know he and Bev over these last two decades. I can’t even believe that 20 years has flown by. It really does seem like it was just yesterday.
I knew Keith was slowing day over the last year or so. I hadn’t seen him at the post office or around Nellysford lately. Time was catching up with him and he’d developed some health issues in the last year. He died just a few weeks after Peyton and I harvested the last sweet potatoes from the garden. It reminded me Keith was well known for growing lots of sweet potatoes to give to the local food bank. When I heard of his passing in September, it’s as though time had stopped. It had stopped in a way. Keith made it to 92! The absolute majority of those years he was agile and going.
Keith wasn’t the type for people to make a fuss over his passing. Yet, there were so many that wanted to gather and just remember him as a group. One of his best friends, Dan Ehrman, of Afton told me, “In those final months I’d always come by with fresh croissants from the market and we’d just have them and sit and talk for hours.” Dan told me Keith appreciated it so much and so did Dan, as Keith’s sand in the hourglass was about to run out for his friend.
The weekend of October 20th all of those people that Keith meant so much to gathered at Blue Heron Farm. The very farm he and Bev created two decades ago. We all hugged, cried, and reflected. Then, near the end, we had one final toast. You guessed it. Bourbon. Though Keith may not have wanted the fuss over his passing, I think he greatly approved of that final toast.
See you on the other side Keith and thanks for the memories, and the bourbon 😉
Here’s Keith’s complete obituary with more about his fascinating past.
