Keith was born in Berkeley County and lives in Pineville. Raised on the farm, he learned from one of the best in the county... his father, who stressed the importance of conservation, protecting, and planning for the future.
Educated through the public-school system and Carlisle Military School, Keith then attended Clemson and Auburn. He married Betty Harris in 1960 and they have two children and two grandchildren.
Retiring as a Safety/Hazardous Materials professional from the manufacturing industry in 2005, Keith followed up his love of being a landowner and of research (one of his many interests). This research, however, is with growing plots of Arborgen’s super-trees, rather than growing and testing many hundreds of varieties of corn.
An opportunity opened to join the Berkeley Soil & Water Conservation District several years ago, Keith serves as a Commissioner and really enjoys being a part of the recently formed Environmental History of Berkeley County; that of “Protecting the Past, Preserving the Present, and Promising the Future” of Berkeley County. . . through education. He believes strongly in those three short phrases, and promotes them through our state and county educational system.
“Learning from our county’s history, in which we are so rich, is a tremendous tool. Through it we learn ‘preservation,’ to be able to ‘promise our future” says Gourdin.
Hobbies enjoyed by Gourdin are St. Stephen’s Parish history research and documentation, family genealogy, and working with several non-profits: Berkeley North Historical & Cultural Association, Berkeley County Historic Society, and the Museum, Berkeley County Friends of the Library, Friends of Maude Callen, and he recently formed the Sons of the American Revolution Chapter for Berkeley County . . . all in his spare time from the Soil &Water Conservation District . . . naturally!
