Keith was one of 8 children of Archibald and Annie (Walker) Gerow of Beaty SK. He was born on December 24, 1919 in Melfort SK. At age 10 he moved with his family to south of Wembley AB on the south shore of the Wapiti River where his parents began a homestead. There was no school there, so the children took their education by correspondence. At an early age, Keith had to go out to work to help support his younger siblings. He and his brother, Tom, joined the Army in June 1941. In 1942 they went overseas. (Their other two brothers, Lloyd and Lyle, also joined the Army.) Keith developed pneumonia and pleurisy two years later, just before D-Day, and was hospitalized in England. He returned to Canada in a hospital ship, Lady Nelson, and was transferred to Calgary, then to Edmonton. He spent 9 months in the hospital until he was discharged in 1945. On November 1, 1947 Keith married Patricia Watt in Pipestone Creek, where Patricia grew up. Keith bought the NW – 10-69-8-W6, and later bought the SW quarter from the VLA. For the first two winters, Keith worked in the bush as an engineer at the mill, and Patricia worked in the cookhouse. They farmed in the summers. In May 1956, they moved to Grande Prairie where Keith was employed at Grande Prairie Lumber, (later called North Canadian Forest Industries), for 10 years. Selling their house in 1966, they moved to Creston BC, and after a year to Salmon Arm. Keith worked as a carpenter, and Patricia was a postal clerk. The Gerows had 5 sons: Rodney, Donald, Terry, Randall, and Cameron.
Source: Along the Wapiti pp. 295-296 Archibald and Keith family histories.
- 412 – Name in list of WWII veterans.
Surname File – Interview with Patricia Watt Gerow (wife)
Grande Prairie Herald Tribune Nov. 13, 1947 p. 5 c. 5 (Marries)