Keith D. Foskitt

WESTFORD – Keith David Foskitt, 54, of Westford MA, passed away on July 11, 2021, after ongoing health issues. Keith was born March 3, 1967 and grew up in Billerica MA, the son of Gordon and Geraldine (Proctor) Foskitt.

He graduated from Shawsheen Technical School for design drafting, and was employed by Abbott Laboratories where he designed surgical equipment (one of his favorite experiences) and blood-glucose meters. He was then employed by BAE Systems where both his drafting and people skills resulted in the opportunity to lead a design team.

In his earlier days Keith enjoyed riding horses. Later he became an avid gardener who loved to create his relaxing backyard oasis. He enjoyed singing tenor in various community choral groups, and unremittingly lived for Broadway musical theatre. He frequented trips to Europe —Switzerland with his husband and dear friends was a favorite, as well as seeing longtime dear friends in England, and husband’s family in Germany. Trips to York and Ogunquit, ME were favorite perennial visits, and Washington D.C. inspired him as a proud American.

He is predeceased by his father and mother, his brother Kenneth of Danville NH and his brother Kevin of Moultonborough NH. He is survived by husband Jeffrey Gage of Westford MA, sister Karen Foskitt of Lowell MA, and loving and caring cousins, relatives, friends and co-workers, too numerous to list.

Memorial gifts may be made to his favorite charity, the MSPCA.

We will be celebrating Keith's life on Sunday, October 24th from noon until 4:00 at the Sky Meadow Country Club in Nashua. Hors d'oeuvres and a luncheon buffet will be served!
If you can join us, please use this Google form below.

https://forms.gle/sSTXg9C2QVsb13Pr8

My Eulogy for Keith:
Keith was that special guy we all turned to, to give us advice, to listen to our troubles, or
just to share the good things in our lives. I think many of us counted on him for so much
that it was inconceivable to imagine him not being here anymore.
Keith had superpowers. If you ever debated with him about the outcome of some
puzzling situation, and he used this phrase: “You watch; you’ll see,” then you know that
what he said would always come true! Once I got really irritated by this. I said “How can
you POSSIBLY know that’s going to happen??” His calm answer was, “I’m just
observant.”
Here is a little excerpt of a book project he made in his youth at the Marshal Middle
School in Billerica. It’s a story called “Sammy Swan and Paul Pigeon Learn a Lesson,”
written and illustrated by Keith Foskitt:
“One day, Sammy Swan was swimming in the pond next to the grassy field. He had
beautiful white feathers and an orange-colored beak. Paul Pigeon was flying around the
pond. He was black and gray and also very dirty and mean.”
“‘Hi Paul,’ said Sammy Swan. He grumped, ‘Go lay an egg!’ Sammy Swan pointed at
Paul Pigeon and said, ‘You shouldn’t be so grumpy.’”
“‘I don’t need you to tell me what to do!,’ Paul Pigeon yelled, ‘I like being grumpy!’”
“‘Why do you have to be so sweet?’ asked Paul Pigeon as Sammy Swan dunked his
head for a fish. Then Sammy Swan said, ‘That’s just the way I like to be.’”
And here’s the best part…
“Sammy Swan didn’t feel right about fighting because he knew that Paul Pigeon wanted
to play in the water.”
Even in middle school, Keith knew what people were really thinking, and I’m pretty
certain, when you first met him, he already had you figured out! Still, you always felt
good having Keith on your side. I know I did. This superpower of his was a special gift
from Almighty God. How do I know? Because he would say so almost every day.
Whenever amazing things happened he’d say, “I’m telling you right now, God’s doing all
this!”
His relationship with God has been the one true comfort that has kept me from falling
down through all this. I did my share of crying and screaming, as many of you did, over
the last few months, but I always managed to calm down, knowing he’s with God and
he’s been reunited with his family and friends. He’s also been given a brand new body. I
never asked God to bring him back to me, because that would mean he’d be saddled
with his overweight, diseased body all over again. Instead I actually pleaded with God to
take me along with him; but I’m awfully glad God didn’t do that, because then I would
have missed all of this yummy food.
So for now, the sadness belongs to all of us, but all the joy belongs to Keith--and he
deserves that, right? The trick is to tap into that joy. Ask God to give you some! “Hey
God, I want some of that!” When my parents had their crippling car accident long ago,
my brother David was with me at the hospital in Florida, and said to me “How are you
staying so calm with all of this?” And my answer was “I asked God for strength and I
guess he’s giving it to me!”
So ask God for your joy and He’ll put it before you, but you’ll have to open your eyes to
see it. Remember Keith’s superpower--be observant!
I love you, Lishie!
-Jeffrey Gage