Posted online: Sep 13th, 2011

There has been much sorrow across the Atlantic after the sad and sudden passing of local man Keith Watts.
Keith, who spent much of his life in Canada, died in Buncrana on August 19. Tributes have since been pouring in from friends and family in both Inishowen and Vancouver.
The son of Arthur and Irene Watts, Keith was born and grew up in Sheffield. In 1953 he met Buncrana woman Bridie Doherty in Derry and married her five years later.
The couple, who had four children and would have celebrated their 53rd anniversary last week, spent the first years of their marriage in Sheffield where Keith worked in local governement.
After moving to Canada in 1963 Keith had a rich and varied career, starting off at a private detective agency in Vancouver.
He then went on to work as an accountant for a logging company, before taking soccer coaching lessons which eventually led him to a position at the Simon Fraser University.
It was there, said Bridie, that Keith was at his happiest: “That was the job he loved the most since he got to work with young people.”
The university are planning a memorial service in October for Keith, who was the longest serving coach in their history and led them to consecutive national college championships in the 1980s.
Speaking to the Vancouver Sun, current SFU soccer coach Alan Koch, who played for Keith in the 90s, called him “an absolute gentleman” and said “he was a fantastic coach, a great mentor and a great role model.” Keith spent 20 years at SFU before retiring ten years ago.
Bridie, who described her husband as “the most modest of men,” said he always loved Ireland and explained how he “never settled again” after a family holiday in Buncrana in 1968.
Thus, the couple returned to Inishowen after Keith retired, where he enjoyed walking and taking care of his garden at their home in Lisnakelly – of which he was “very proud.”
Upon his return he also volunteered with the Milk Cup football tournament in the North, which he loved.
Bridie described her husband as “quiet and reserved but very friendly” and said locals would have known him as “the man with the backpack and baseball cap.”
Keith was 75-years-old when he died. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.