It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Keith J. Mervine, loving son, husband, father, uncle, and friend to many.  He left us peacefully in his home in Lusby, MD, on October 6, 2022, at the age of 51 surrounded by loved ones.

Formerly of Strongstown, PA, Keith was born in September 1971, to Kenneth and Janet Mervine.  He graduated from Blacklick Valley High School in 1989.  Under the tutelage of his late BVHS drama coach Philip Kupchella, Keith discovered an affinity for acting, which became a guiding force throughout Keith’s life.  Following high school, Keith became a member of the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and attended Penn State University and Indiana University of Pennsylvania where he studied theater and communications media, which led to a professional interest in computer programming.  Keith worked as a radio station DJ for WDAD AM1450 in Indiana, PA (his favorite job ever) prior to moving to Maryland in 1994.

Keith married Sherry (Hoover) Mervine on December 31, 1994.  The couple were active thespians with various community theater companies in Southern Maryland including: Greenbelt Arts Center, Goddard Space Flight Center Music and Drama (MAD), Tantallon Players, Port Tobacco Players, Newtowne Players, Twin Beach Players and were founding members of New Direction Community Theater in Calvert County in 2010.

A 29-year Maryland resident, Keith originally lived in Greenbelt and Waldorf before settling in Calvert County for the past 18 years.  Keith was the facility manager for the Greenbelt Arts Center from 1994 to 1997 where his love of theater grew to include directing.  He began working at NASA Goddard as a Lead IT architect, which led to working in both the private and government sectors as a Remedy Developer in the MD/VA/DC and Baltimore areas for the last 25 years.

Keith is preceded in death by his father, Kenneth (who passed away December 2020), and his grandparents, Clair and Jessie (Clark) Mervine; and maternal grandparents, Edward and Mary.  Keith is survived by his mother Janet, his wife Mrs. Sherry, his children Mikayla and Philip (both of Lusby), his sister Miss Sherry Mervine, mother-in-law Wanda Hoover, and sister-in-law Tammy (Hoover) McNabb.  Keith has 2 nephews and 2 nieces.

Keith had many hobbies and pastimes in addition to theater including: all things Disney and Star Wars; watching WWF wrestling, Steelers football, movies, and Riff Trax; collecting comic books; performing magic tricks; playing baseball and Dungeons and Dragons; and retro video gaming.  His larger-than-life personality and infectious laughter brightened any room he entered, and he will be missed by those who love him.

Thirty-five years of community theater found Keith playing everything from a plant (The Voice of Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors) to a Prince (Prince of Wales in The Scarlet Pimpernel). Some of his favorite roles included Alan in Come Blow Your Horn, Lenny in Rumors and Max in Laughter on the 23^rd floor. Keith also stepped around to the other side of the stage having directed God’s Favorite, Blithe Spirit, All My Sons, I Remember Mama, It’s a Scream, Antigone, Marriage is Murder, The Whole Shebang, The Odd Couple (Female Version) and Laughter on the 23rd Floor. His original screenplay, The Middle Ground, was the feature work of the NDCT 10th Anniversary Fall production in October 2020.

Please join us in celebrating his life Monday evening, October 17, 2022, with a visitation from 5:30 to 7:00pm followed by a 7:00 pm service at Rausch Funeral Home in Lusby.  Services will be streaming on Facebook live on the Rausch funeral home page.  https://www.facebook.com/RauschFH   An additional Memorial service will be held on October 30, 2022, at the Long Beach Community Center in St. Leonard at 5PM.  Costumes are encouraged. For more information, please visit the New Direction Community Theater website at: www.ndctheater.org