On February 11, 2009, we had to say goodbye to a very good friend. Keith Crippen, a Buffalo advertising superstar, passed away after losing a hard-fought battle with cancer.
We’d like those who knew Keith to use this forum to celebrate his life by sharing stories and learning how he touched so many in our community. Please spread the word to those you think might want to join in.
Our deepest condolences go out to Keith’s family and friends. Through these memories and stories, may Keith continue to make people smile.
Keith had one of the most infectious laughs and was always the life of the party. He had a way of making people feel so special - like they were the only person in the room and he was so lucky to be talking to them. Takes a special person to do that. I'll miss Keith's colorful spirit and designer duds!
ReplyDeleteI loved when we sat with Keith and Larry at perhaps the craziest CWA holiday party ever at Fanny's. We had an interesting table guest that evening and Keith was so on with his crazy faces and comments. I don't think I stopped laughing all night.
ReplyDeleteKeith was also a bright spot for me at Karen's baby shower. He, of course, was the only man at the party but he was a regular shower pro.
What a truly amazing person. With all of the pain he endured over the years he still managed to laugh and smile more than most people I know.
Peace.
Very sad news. He will be sorely missed. The world needs more like him. I consider the short time I had the opportunity to work with him as a bright spot in my career. There is no one who shared a moment of laughter with Keith who will forget his infectious, raucous laugh and wicked sense of humor. And he was a fine copywriter and creative talent, and a damn fine person.
ReplyDeleteI remember the day he hired my at Wolf and I asked him how I should dress (as I wore a suit I borrowed from my brother I think) and he looked at me and said without pause, "Not like that" followed by a turn of the head and laugh.
ReplyDeleteI loved that guy.
Mike
How could you not laugh – more than once – when you interacted with Keith? A pillar of the creative community; with a dashing mix of style, spirit, charm and humor; the world has lost a very special person.
ReplyDeletePlease join us as we celebrate Keith's life.
ReplyDeleteLarry Adamczyk (adamczyklarry@hotmail.com) or go to my facebook page.
Friday February 20, 2009
Visitation
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Amigone Funeral Services, Inc.
1132 Delaware Avenue
Buffalo, New York 14209
716-883-9200
Saturday February 21, 2009
Memorial Service
12:00 p.m. -1:00 p.m.
Calvary Baptist Church
1184 Genesee Street
Buffalo, New York 14211
716-895-3642
Saturday February 21, 2009
"Celebration of Life for Keith Crippen"
5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
The Century Grill
320 Pearl Street
Buffalo, New York 14202
716-853-6322
I was always astounded by his uncanny ability to always have snacks in the house and was always willing to watch cartoons with me. I will always miss my Uncle Keith.
ReplyDeleteI had the pleasure of working under Keith at Crowley Webb, as well as profiling him for a Buffalo Spree article back in 2003. The piece was about his fabulous plate collection. My favorite part of our interview was when he talked, or rather howled, about a gorgeous plate he'd spotted in a French shop. Commemorating the 1988 Summer Olympics, it featured an unusual collage of photographs, paintings and Baroque patterns. “I knew I couldn’t leave Paris without that plate," he told me. (The interview tape is still somewhere in my messy house... I hope.)
ReplyDeleteIn subsequent years, he continued to show a genuine interest in my career, and was always generous with advice and support. I thank him for that.
It's hard to know what to say when the grief is so raw, so I'll offer a quote from the poet Maya Angelou:
"They are not dead who live in lives they leave behind -- in those whom they have blessed, they live again."
My deepest sympathies to Larry and all of Keith's family.
Keith was just a wonderful, talented, great guy with the ability to bring a smile to your face whenever you saw him. I used to tell Keith the best part of attending the Addys was seeing him in his latest outfit. And he would laugh with a smile from ear to ear. Always comfortable in his own skin, Keith never failed to give you his perspective on anything. Just a good guy. We will miss you Buddy.
ReplyDeleteBob
From: Keith Dubuque
ReplyDeleteI am honored & privileged to have worked with keith at Delaware North. Taking classes then directly going to work with keith was the exciting part of my day. His thoughts on design have always played a large roll in my career, but nothing will come close to his personality and laugh which I will truly miss.
My sympathy goes to Keith's friends & family
Thanks Keith, you were great, I'll miss you.
ReplyDeleteJust came across this news and I'm terribly sorry to hear it. I remember the night my wife and I met Keith and the many times I see him at the Addy's or at Wegmans. Always his bright light shining from within. For those who were truly close to him, so very sorry for your loss.
ReplyDeleteKeith was an excellent mentor and always a source of humor and levity. We worked together for a short time at UB, but he is largely the reason I find myself working in advertising. I wish him and his family and friends peace, knowing he was truly a pillar in this community.
ReplyDeleteVery sad news to hear of such a wonderful person passing away. The world is not as "bright" as it was with Keith in it. He truly had an amazing way about him, that all you had to do is meet Keith and you would never forget him. He was an honest, funny and extremely creative person that left an indelible mark on our community.
ReplyDeleteWhere to begin? Maybe the regular Outback Steakhouse Prime Rib runs on the agency dime? The countless nights when I had to drive Keith home after a very long happy hour-only to be have him go off about how I need to walk into the agency principal's office and tell him he's a no good (insert Keith-ism here) and I need more money? The lunch runs to Gigi's for chicken and greens? O.K. - here's the money shot - Keith was hired at Wolf to succeed an awful, racist, chauvinist, homophobe. And guess who got to do the firing... sweet! Keep this blog up please, we are only winding up.
ReplyDeleteWhen we got the news that he passed, people were talking about it at the office. Someone said..."Keith Crippen. I think I might have met him, but I'm not sure."
ReplyDeleteI said, "If you aren't sure, you didn't meet him."
He was and is utterly unforgettable.
He was a mentor . A fashion consultant. A cheerleader.
A great writer and manager.
A horrible secret keeper.
He called me his Superstar.
And I am so proud I got to call him my friend.
Writing about Keith in the past tense seems nearly impossible. How can that much energy and life just be gone? Keith was the guy who you wanted to sit next to at the boring charity luncheon, because then all of a sudden it was a party. He's the guy you wanted for your boss, to sell your work up and protect you from whatever was falling down that particular day. And he could laugh about anything. Even getting stung in the crotch by a bee. OK, so that one took a few days before it was funny, but still... There are people you see every day, who you wouldn't even miss if they were gone. Then there's a guy like Keith. Even if you only saw him one day a year, your entire world seems different now that he's gone.
ReplyDeleteAlright, in another classic Keith move, here's a good one. Greg Meadows and I were asked to help Keith move into his home on Crescent to which we had agreed. As the day wore on in this 3-story move, Keith had to "run out" and grab something. Greg and I thought it was beer or pizza. An hour or two later, when Keith arrived back at his new home, there was no moving day food treat to be had. Keith went clothes shopping. That's right. Clothes shopping while his "hired help" moved his stuff. His response, "Hey, I gotta look good." To which I replied something like, "But Keith...". To which he replied, "Hey I wasn't gonna lift that stuff anyway." [Insert Keith laugh here. Not the big one, the medium one.]
ReplyDeleteWho could forget those long martini lunches where the conversations eventually ended with...."And he said...somethin, somethin, somethin..." We all seemed to nod in understanding. Maybe we just knew what he was thinking or didn't care because we were having so much fun pondering it.
ReplyDeleteHe breathed life into everyone he touched. He taught me how to laugh out loud and sat with me when I cried into the night. For me, he pulled me together with scotch tape and glue when I was falling apart and said “girl…pull it together, you’ll be alright…and I was.”
He chased the dragon. So many more stories each of us has to share ....I could go on and on.
Here’s to you Keith….Know this, you have left your imprint on us all.
Imagine sitting in a small conference room with Keith, Mike Telesco, Greg Meadows and Crista. And at the end brainstorming session, Keith ends up laughing and then Mike does his best Keith laugh - Keith gave him a hard time, then followed up with few pointers to make sure Mike had it just right and Mike nailed it pretty convincingly. One of the few that could pull it off. I know they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But it was always much more than that when it came to Keith.
ReplyDeleteMay we all remember to laugh with the same enthusiastic abandon.
Thank you Keith.
Greg Meadows introduced me to Keith back in the mid-'80s, back in the Finish Line days for Keith.
ReplyDeleteIn the early '90s, I was president of the Art Directors Club. Keith was on the board. Well, he was for one meeting. We had a new rule that if you missed three meetings, you were off the board. Keith made the first and missed the next three. It was my job to call him and tell him he was off the board. I mean, c'mon, it's a board of creatives, how hard is it to get kicked off of that? He was probably the first person to be kicked off the ADCB board since 1955, when it was formed.
I waited till the very last possible minute to make the call. I hated to have to do it. He was SO relieved. He was dreading to have to call me to quit and leave us in a lurch. He just didn't have the time to commit. He was so generous and made me feel like I was doing him a favor. Even offered up a few names for replacements and offered to call them.
The best, though, was when UB won the ADDY Best-of-Show a few years back. He got up to the mic and proclaimed, "If I'd known we were going to win, I'd have worn my Versace!"
He leaves a legacy of laughter. May we all be so lucky.
Im sorry I only just found out about Keith's passing.
ReplyDeleteWE had been friends since High School. And I have to say...he was always the same HYSTERICAL, observant, sensitive smarty. In fact, over three years, we were the only two boys among 6 girls- in the Sweet Home HS Art club . *read into that as pair of devoted art fags?. hahaha!!! Over the years when ever we ran into each other it was as if no time had passed. He was still that lil guy w a BIG 'fro in my eyes. He never let on that was not feeling well to me. Such a Keith thing to do.. Ill miss knowing that he might sneak up behind me in public and Giggle in my ear..when I least suspect it
The ADDYs show was Friday night. Funny how you can still hear Keith ripping on everyone's clothes, hair, shoes, speech, etc., even when he's not there.
ReplyDeleteRemembering a class act who left us nearly a year ago.
ReplyDeletegee, first i heard. sad. great guy. always full of smiles. always turning up at the strangest places. -RobPrice
ReplyDelete