Harold Keith Lighty, affectionately called "Keith", was born to the late Patsy Jean Lighty and the late James Harold Lighty in Forsyth County, North Carolina on May 19, 1957.

He was educated in the public schools of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County and graduated from Parkland High School in 1975. And he was a graduate of Rutledge Business College.

Keith's early Christian education began at Mount Zion Baptist Church where he gave faithful service to the Men's Usher Board and he taught the primary class of the Sunday school for many years.

H. Keith Lighty gave honorable service for his country in the United States Army as part of the First Battalion 83rd Artillery Company.

He met his wife, Debra, in church and the couple celebrated thirty years of marriage prior to his unexpected death.

Keith was a former employee of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County School System. He loved working with children. He was once an assistant basketball coach at the YMCA of Northwest North Carolina (Central Location in Winston-Salem), and he recently started a Twin City Baseball League for young boys at the Ray Agnew Field.

Harold Keith Lighty passed away unexpectedly at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center on Monday, March 18, 2024.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Cheryl Lighty.

Those family members who survive and who will forever cherish loving memories of him include his wife, Debra Jones Lighty; his sons, Harold Keith Pelzer and Darius Jamal Harvey; his daughter, Kendra Brown; grandchildren, Kyra Brown, Xavier Johnson, Da'Zari Harvey, Dax Harvey and Zamir Harvey; his brothers, James Leonard Lighty and Brian Carlton Lighty; nephew, Richard Lighty; uncle, Alonzo Lighty; sister-in-law, Donna Jones; four brothers-in-law, Dwaine L. Simmons, Sr. (Jernell), Marcel Edwards, Derrick Jones and Frederick A. Johns, Jr.; a dear friend, Frederick Moore; and several extended family members and friends.

Memorial services will be held at 1:30pm Monday, March 25, 2024 at Mt. Zion Baptist Church. The family visitation will be held from 1:00pm until 1:30pm on Monday at the Church.