Keith Franklin Rouse

Keith Rouse – Artist, Attorney, Athlete, and Pirate

Keith Rouse was a unique, vibrant, and generous man.  He lived for the moment and embraced the challenges life put in front of him.  He rejected the status quo and he fought for the underdog.  He loved beauty, color, wine, women, and song.  He cared deeply about the people around him. 

Keith Franklin Rouse was born December 18, 1947, in Salida, Colorado to Roberta May Pringle and Fred C. Rouse of Canon City.  Fred, like many soldiers returning from WWII, became a schoolteacher after the war; he and Roberta established their home in Canon City along the Arkansas River, where Keith grew up.  Much to his parent's consternation, Keith often got in trouble during school. It wasn’t until junior high- and art classes- that Keith found his passion for life- painting.  In painting, Keith found a way to express himself, and earn praise instead of getting into trouble.   His art teacher was friends with Georgia O’Keeffe, who visited his class a few times during high school – the first of many intersections with art and fame that would come during Keith’s life.  

Keith was a renaissance man. He excelled in art, athletics, and theater during the 1950s and 60s. Many articles were written in the Canon City paper about Keith during his school years, and how he had become an exceptional football player, artist, and citizen.  At the end of his senior year in 1966, Keith was awarded an art and academic scholarship to Colorado State University, where he would eventually earn his Bachelor of Fine Arts.  In 1966, he married his high school sweetheart, Beverly, and in 1967 they had their daughter Timi, and in 1971, their son Andy.

The 1960s were a turbulent time for Keith, both politically and personally. The unpopular Vietnam War was being fought by many of his friends, including his older brother John (who ultimately won a Bronze Star for valor). Keith had always looked up to John and wrote to him often. Keith protested the Vietnam War vehemently.  Keith recalled one protest in particular when, with Timi on his shoulders, they became part of a large crowd that had begun to form. Keith remembered watching in horror as a police car drove into the crowd! The incident disturbed him and remained with him for the rest of his life.  

Keith later compared this experience to the images of protests during the Trump administration. Keith often drew parallels from the Vietnam War - namely the arrogance of power and disregard for people - to the Trump administration, which he despised.  Things seemed to settle down during the 1970s after the Vietnam war ended, and Nixon left office after the Watergate scandal.  Again, Keith compared this time with the Trump presidency, and how he felt a similar relief when the Democrats regained control of the White House.

After Keith graduated from college he was accepted into the University of California, Los Angeles Film and Theater school.  Keith would quip that comic books taught him history and about the great works of literature. He wanted to be an animator like Chuck Jones- who created memorable characters for Looney Tunes.  After six years at UCLA, Keith graduated with an MFA in Film Animation.  (Keith had earned enough credits to graduate with a doctorate but did not realize this until he returned to UCLA years later to teach.). While in Los Angeles, Keith collaborated with his mentor and UCLA advisor, Dan McLaughlin, on a number of animation projects, and they would remain lifelong friends.  

Keith crossed other bright stars in his student animation career.  Nancy Cartwright- before she became the voice of Bart Simpson- started out narrating one of Keith’s short films. Keith created a self-help film that was picked up and broadcast by KPBS in Los Angeles.  He had it narrated by June Foray, the voice of Rocky of the popular cartoon Rocky and Bullwinkle.

Shortly after graduation, Keith landed a job with acclaimed architect Charles Aimes in Venice Beach, CA. Keith later said he was not qualified for the job at the time and may have embellished his credentials, but he was a diligent worker and figured out what he needed to do. Charles Aimes once remarked to others how Keith was “…an intense worker.”  Part of Keith’s character, and an ongoing theme throughout his life, was that he was not afraid to try things, and he learned how to do them while he was doing them!

The late 1970s and early 1980s were challenging times for many Americans. Interest rates and unemployment were high.  Achieving the American dream seemed harder. Keith opened an interior design business in Fort Collins, Colorado, but struggled to keep the business profitable. After closing his own business, he realized that he could help others with the liquidation process, so he transitioned to liquidating other businesses.  He learned that he was a good problem solver and understood the law. Unfortunately, at about this time, Keith had his first bout with cancer. Survival rates were not good at the time, but Keith - ever the fighter- headed to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota alone for several months, where he was treated with radiation and chemotherapy.  

Once in remission, Keith rejoined his family, and in 1987, they moved back to California. Keith’s interest in liquidating businesses eventually propelled him to go to law school. Unfortunately, his cancer returned. This time he had a secondary sarcoma (possibly from the radiation treatments he received earlier). Together, Keith and his doctors made sure he could finish law school and pursue a career in law. In 1996 he earned his Juris Doctor from Glendale College of Law.

While studying for the bar exam, Keith fell ill yet again, and he lost his right leg to a sepsis infection. Keith would often tell his grandchildren (and other children who asked) that he was a pirate and that a shark bit off his leg. Other times, pirates cut off his leg and fed it to the sharks.  Keith often turned to humor to cope with life’s difficult realities.  But he never quit- he buckled down and passed the California bar exam.  His friend and doctor once remarked that Keith had cheated death many times - a painful fact, but one that he took pride in.    

At fifty years old, now an amputee, Keith opened a law office in Pasadena, California. Success followed quickly.  When he was recognized as one of Pasadena’s best attorneys by Pasadena Weekly in 2017 and 2018, he talked about some of his most challenging and rewarding cases.  These included Gil v. Abassi, et al., where he represented over a hundred physicians that were sued by the Receiver for an insolvent insurance trust.  In another case, he represented a family in their successful claim against the Getty Museum over a Jan Steen painting that had been looted by the Nazis in Seneff, Belgium at the beginning of World War II.  Because Keith was creative and a little crazy, he also took over a failing restaurant and wine bar.  He helped turn it around and renamed it Madeleines, where it operated successfully on Green Street for many years.  The article quotes him as saying that he quickly learned that he had taken on two full-time jobs!

Unfortunately, the economic crash of 2008 decimated his restaurant business. Fortunately, Keith’s law practice thrived, and just as important, he began to paint again.  He spent time traveling with his wife abroad and fixing up their home in Glendora, CA.  They divorced in 2015.

Keith continued to serve his community the best he could. He was a fierce advocate for the little guy and would often take on cases that others would not.  Rodney King was one of his clients. King wanted to copyright the saying, “Why can’t we all just get along?”  Ultimately, it couldn’t be done, but Keith was all about helping the underdog- so it didn’t stop him from trying.

Keith loved to share a good bottle of wine. He frequented many restaurants in the Pasadena and Glendora areas and loved sharing a meal with family and friends. He also never missed a family reunion or wedding.   Keith continued to paint during these last few years- landscapes and nudes were his favorite subjects.  He was a proud member of the California Art Club. He taught an art law graduate class at his alma mater, UCLA, and was committed to helping new artists protect their work.

Keith was not ready to go- and he said so.  He loved every minute of his life.  When cancer hit him for the third time in September 2020, he told his family that it was not his time and that he was going to fight through this, as he had done twice before.

Keith’s first doctors initially told him to go home.  One doctor actually told Keith that they could not help him and that he had lived his life.  This man obviously didn’t know Keith Rouse.  Keith applied and was accepted into a study at the USC’s Keck Cancer Research Center.  After two months of treatment, his cancer was in remission. Unfortunately, in February, he developed an infection while his immune system remained compromised.  Keith died at Huntington Hospital on February 18, 2022.  

We are grateful that the doctors at USC helped our dad and gave us a few more months with him. Keith was so proud to be part of a study that could eventually help others.  

Keith leaves behind a family who will miss him dearly- siblings Bill, John, Chuck, Tom, Glen, Paul, Virginia, and Marcia. His former wife of 45 years, Beverly (Braddy) Rouse, his three children – Timmithea, Andrew, and John and nine grandchildren- Zachary, Geoffrey, Grant, Connor, Madeleine, Clara, Jack, Mirabelle, and Juliette.

A Celebration of a Life ceremony will take place at Throop Unitarian in Pasadena, California on April 23, 2022, from 5 to 7:30 pm.  After the ceremony, friends and family are invited to share refreshments and enjoy some of Keith’s paintings which will be on display in the social room.

RIP, Dad.