Friends of the Cheat mourns the passing of Keith Pitzer

Keith Pitzer, executive director of Friends of the Cheat since 2001, died on the morning of December 22nd following a year and a half long battle with cancer.

Under his leadership, Friends of the Cheat dramatically expanded its efforts to restore, preserve, and promote the outstanding natural qualities of the Cheat
River Watershed.

Key milestones under the Pitzer tenure include establishing three public river accesses, completing an interpretive driving trail, invasive species eradication, and a major expansion of the organization's primary focus, cleaning up acid mine drainage that has rendered many miles of streams in the watershed unable to support life for decades.

Today the Cheat River, once considered dead below Albright, is making a comeback. The water is visibly cleaner, and fish, eagles, herons, and otters have been sighted, although much work remains to further improve water quality in the river and tributaries.

Keith also laid the foundation for ongoing projects including developing rail trails in the Kingwood area and from Albright to Rowlesburg, building an outdoor classroom, developing a key river and trail access at the confluence of Pringle Run and the Cheat River, and many additional acid mine drainage remediation projects throughout the lower Cheat watershed.

Despite his deteriorating health, Keith remained actively involved in leading Friends of the Cheat through mid-November of this year. On December 1st, co-founder and past president and executive director Dave Bassage was named interim director to keep the organization and small staff moving smoothly forward.

Bassage notes:

"Keith was a close friend for twenty years, and I will sorely miss him, but savor many fond memories. He was a kind, committed, gentle man, with a talent for music and leadership, putting all who knew him at ease.

The world deserved more of Keith than he was able to give. His dreams, his passions, and most of all the patience, persistence, and respect he embodied so well will continue on in those of us fortunate enough to have been touched by him."

An accomplished musician and songwriter, Keith and his wife Joan recorded albums and played at festivals and other venues throughout the East Coast. They were instrumental in establishing fine music tradition of the annual Cheat River Festival, the region's first outdoor festival each year, held the first weekend in May.

In lieu of flowers, The Keith Pitzer family has asked that donations be made in his memory to Friends of the Cheat, website www.cheat.org. Condolence notes can be sent to his email: KPitzer@cheat.org, and will be passed along to his family. A memorial service is being planned for the springtime.