Keith L. Besson

Keith L. Besson, 70, of Goshen, died Friday evening, December 18, 2009, at Elkhart General Hospital. He was born in Warsaw, Indiana, on October 18, 1939, to the late William Earl and Leona (Leininger) Besson.  He married Lois Vaughan in Scottsville, Kentucky on December 12, 1964.  She survives. Also surviving are a daughter, Dr. Sarah (Dr. Russell) Palmer of Carmel, Indiana; a son, Dr. Stephen (Kelly) Besson of Cynthiana, Kentucky; seven grandchildren, Abby Sarah Ruth and Phoebe Besson, and Rachel, Annie, Emily and Elizabeth Palmer; and a sister, Linda (William) Cochran of Mentone, Indiana. He was preceded in death by his parents and step-mother, Lela Besson. A 1957 graduate of Mentone High School, he graduated from David Lipscomb College in 1962.  He was a member of the Goshen Church of Christ where he served as an elder, and also a member of the Elkhart County Ostomy Association.  He retired from Fairmont Home in 2004 as an internal auditor.  Prior to that he had served as a missionary to Zambia, Africa for 12 years, where he helped establish the Namwianga Christian School. Friends may call 4 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, December 22, at the funeral home. A 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 23, 2009, funeral service will be conducted at Yoder-Culp Funeral Home with Brad Price of the Goshen Church of Christ officiating.  Burial will take place in Mentone Cemetery at 2:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the Malawi Mission Fund or to the Vaughan-Whitaker Scholarship.