62 years and counting

A TRIBUTE BY JACE KOHSLA OF THE PUEBLO SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL ALUMN FOUNDATION 

It is with a heavy heart that I share the news that our beloved board member, Keith Frazier, passed away.

Keith suffered a massive heart attack and underwent emergency surgery, but despite every effort, he was not able to recover. His loss is heartbreaking for all who knew and loved him.


Keith was a proud member of the South High School Class of 1966. He was inducted into the South High School Hall of Fame in 2022 and began serving on the South High School Alumni Foundation Board in September 2022. In that time, he became a valued member of our board and remained a true Colt whose life reflected the very best of South High School.  As an eight-time letter winner in wrestling, football, and track, Keith was a force to be reckoned with during his time at South. He went on to earn both his BA and MA from the University of Southern Colorado before dedicating his career to teaching, coaching, and serving the Pueblo community.  Over his 30 years as a PE teacher at Jefferson and Heritage Elementary Schools, Keith taught and coached countless young people. His impact on gymnastics in Pueblo and beyond was extraordinary. He helped build a program that gave Pueblo a reputation as a gymnastics powerhouse, coached at the high school and collegiate levels, opened his own gymnastics club, and led teams to numerous division, league, state, and national honors. In 1978, his team brought home Pueblo’s first girls’ state championship in any sport by winning the girls gymnastics title.  Keith’s influence within the sport of gymnastics was remarkable. He designed a spring floor for floor exercise using tennis balls, an idea he freely shared and never copyrighted, allowing gymnastics programs around the world to benefit from his innovation. Beyond his many accomplishments, Keith’s greatest legacy was the way he taught and coached others — challenging his students and athletes to work as a team, be better, work harder, and reach higher.

Keith also gave generously of himself through service. He was active with Habitat for Humanity, a proud member of the American Legion Patriot Guard, and part of the ritual team that provides services for fallen soldiers. He was also deeply involved in Pueblo’s annual Toy Run, the longest-running Toy Run in the United States, a tradition that has brought the community together for decades to support children and families during the Christmas season. Keith’s heart for service was evident in everything he did.

 Keith’s commitment, kindness, leadership, and lifelong dedication to South High School and the Pueblo community made a lasting impact. He will be deeply missed by all of us who had the privilege of knowing and working alongside him.

 For those who would like to reflect further on Keith’s remarkable life and legacy, I encourage you to watch his South High School Hall of Fame video. In it, Keith reflects on his journey with the humility, warmth, and wisdom that defined him. He reminds us that life is “a wonderful, wonderful life if you just go out and live it.” The video is a touching tribute to the countless lives he impacted as a teacher, coach, mentor, friend, and proud Colt, and to the enduring legacy of kindness, resilience, and service he leaves behind. You can view the video here.


Please keep Keith’s wife, Ruth Taravella-Frazier; his children, Tia, Chandra, and Casey; and his family, friends, former students, athletes, fellow riders, and loved ones in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.