Keith Joseph Malagarie

Popee’s Jambalaya. The vegetables in Jambalaya are the "holy trinity" in Cajun cooking. If you don't know what these vegetables are, then you didn't know Keith. Keith would add two more to this "trinity" list: salt and red pepper. He knew adding this meant it wasn't a trinity, but for Keith that didn't matter because eating this was heaven. Salt and red pepper went on everything from steak to rice. But we have to go back in time before we begin. Our story starts in Spain, in particular, Malaga Spain, and in 1779, 500 immigrants from Malaga arrived in Louisiana. These Spanish settlers founded New Iberia, the heart of Cajun Country and moved into the communities of Broussard, St. Martinville and other surrounding cities. They participated in three major military campaigns: the Baton Rouge, the Mobile, and the Pensacola, which expelled the British from the Gulf Coast. This is how some settled here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. These Spaniards became Cajuns. We have Croatians, Irish, French, Spanish, Italians, Cajuns, and just about every other type of nationality on our Coast. Like the Mississippi Gulf Coast, Keith was a mixture of all kinds of things. And like the Coast, Keith loved a little bit of everything. He coached his sons, Damon, Brad & Kevin in football, soccer and baseball. He coached his daughter Marissa in basketball. He then came out of retirement from football to coach his nephew, Shane. And that wasn’t all; he also umpired for the St. Martin Dixie Youth Baseball league for 30 years. We can all still hear his voice saying STRIKE and his animated motion of SAFE! He loved playing Santa Claus for the kids and was asked by so many organizations, schools, families and many more to “come back next year.” He was Santa for Marissa’s Christmas show for many years. He was fondly called Popee Claus by his grandchildren and boy did he love to hear all the other children call him SANTA! Who will be the next Santa? Damon? He was the 2017 King of the North Bay Mardi Gras Association where he was the MC for over 20 years, he was also the MC for the children’s Krewe of Pages along with Les Bon Ami, Bon Vivantes and many more. He was a lifelong member of the French Club and also served as the President several times! Speaking of things he loved, Keith loved salt. Keith was told many times that he might as well have eaten the salt instead of the food. Little did Keith know, decades ago, his loving wife of 45 years, Darlene, whom was his High School Sweetheart, threw away all the salt in the house and refilled the salt containers with a salt substitute. She never told him. So, as they say, the wife really does know best. He poured enough red pepper on food to kill any normal human-being and probably a couple of elephants. He liked his food hot, like summer on the Coast, the Africa kind of hot. He had a passionate love of everything LSU; he even drove a 1921 Ford T Bucket truck painted purple and gold that you will see his son, Kevin driving in his honor on Friday. He was heart-broken when his grandson, Gavyn, went to Mississippi State University and Darlene bought him a shirt to wear for Gavyn’s graduation party and he said “I bleed purple & gold, how can I wear this”? But for Gavyn, he would do anything. Gavyn was his grandson, but truly he was his 5th child and boy did he love his Popee and his Popee adored him like a son. Cruisin’ the Coast & the Singing River Street Rod were both dear to his heart and we know he was to them also. Like most people in Mississippi, he loved the Saints- boy did he LOVE his Saints! In the 1980’s, Keith designed a Saints costume before anyone EVER thought of it!! He's happy he'll see Buddy D so they can talk about their Saints! When his sons Brad and Kevin played St. Martin High School Football, he loved yelling in the stands at the coaches and players telling them what they did wrong, which according to Keith, at times, was a lot! If you couldn't hear him, even on the opposite side of the field, you probably needed hearing aids. And after those years, you certainly heard him on both sides of the field, as you may remember him as The Cajun VOICE of the St. Martin High School Yellow Jackets, which he absolutely loved doing. Just another way Keith touched so many lives. Keith loved "Prof." If you didn't know "Prof" then Keith probably thought you didn't know much of anything. Keith started the Biloxi High Alumni Band when the old band director changed everything to make them look like a military band. He reveled in the fact that the new band director commented that the high school kids could not compete with "professionals" like Keith. He led this group until the summer of 2017 when the alumni band played for the last time at the BHS Class of 1977 40th reunion, at his sister in law, Celeste’s request and an Indian Head was made just for them to honor their legacy. If you've been to the Biloxi Shrimp Festival and the Blessing of the Fleet, you probably know Keith. He's the crazy guy hanging upside down out of a helicopter and dropping the wreath for about four decades or so. Yeah, he was that guy. Oh, and he did squeeze in his 40 hours a week to work at what he still called “Ingalls” and was so special as a hand drawer, that he could out design the youngsters with a computer! This talent leaked over into his family life and community drawing plenty of homework projects for his children and his grandchildren, Gavyn, Madison & Anniston. They sure had fancy science projects!! Well, he even has an honorary Fashion Merchandising degree from USM for designing and drawing clothes for a sister in law. And if you went to the St. Martin High School football field, and saw the Yellow Jacket on the 50-yard line, that was painted by Popee Keith as he went every Monday – Thursday after work to get it done. Keith was preceded in death by his parents Mr. & Mrs. E.U. Malagarie of Biloxi, MS. He is survived by his wife, Darlene; sons, Damon (his dog Cash), Brad (Cori), Kevin (Nikki); daughter, Marissa (Brandi); and grand-kids, Gavyn, Madison, Anniston, Braxton, Brady, Harper, Molly, Maizie and bonus grand-kids Zach, Kayla & Jack, brothers, Urban (Connie) and Brian (Darlene). Visitation will be on Thursday, April 25, from 6pm until 8pm, at the Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford O'Keefe Funeral Home. On Friday, April 26, there will be a 12 Noon chapel service in the funeral home, where friends may visit from 11 am until 12 noon. Burial will follow at Crestlawn Memorial Park. Instead of flowers, Keith requests that you donate your time to be a good coach, a good Daddy, or a good "Popee." Or to the Singing River Street Rod Club, 7129 Richmond Drive Biloxi, MS 39532. Keith, a husband, father, grandfather, brother in law, chauffer, friend and a true lover of all, he always had a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face. Oh, we almost forgot, he wants everyone to wear purple and gold to his funeral, so if you are a fan of another college rival, do it for Keith, just this one time!