Rev. Keith Harris (1960-2026)
Saturday, September 12, 2026
1:00 p.m.
McKinley Memorial Presbyterian Church
801 S. Fifth Street, Champaign, IL
Reception to follow in the neighboring McKinley Foundation Building (805 S. Fifth St.)
Rev. Keith Harris was McKinley’s Associate Pastor and Director of Student Programming from 2007 to 2022. To say he is sorely missed and brilliantly remembered is an understatement. He was a friend, mentor, counselor, pastor, spiritual director, justice worker, and more. His influence and memories within our congregation and to so many others are strong and long-lasting. Keith’s theology would remind us that he is at peace in a place prepared for him by the God he loved so openly and strongly.
Friends and family will gather together on Saturday, September 12 to celebrate his life and impact. The Memorial Service will begin at 1:00pm in McKinley Memorial Presbyterian Church’s sanctuary, and a reception will follow in the McKinley Foundation Building next door.
If you are unable to attend in person,
- The service will be available online here or here.
- The bulletin for the service is available for download (pdf).
Parking: If you knew Keith, you know his love for football, so it is most appropriate that we are remembering him on the same afternoon as a home game for the Illini. Traffic will be heavier than usual, and parking will be harder to find. We encourage you to plan for traffic delays and to carpool if you can. Metered parking might be available on the surrounding streets, but we anticipate you will have better luck with one of the nearby parking structures (for a fee). Please use this map to see the location of nearby parking options, as well as the surrounding one-way streets. [view map]
Memorial Gifts: Monetary gifts to the Memorial Fund for Keith Harris can be submitted online. Be sure to select “Memorial Fund-in Memory of Keith Harris” from the drop-down menu of Fund options [donate online].
Share a Memory: Bring a favorite photo of Keith to share on the reception table. You are also invited to share favorite memories and stories about Keith in writing (forms provided at the service) or online.
