About Roy

Leroy by Roy (2006)

Wirt Alumni in Arabia
By: Roy Kietzman


A native of Gary was featured on a talk show on nationwide television in Bahrain, a kingdom off the eastern shores of Saudi Arabia. On August 27 "Open Talk" was televised with Leroy Kietzman talking about his start in writing as a teenager in the 1950s with weekly and daily newspapers; the daily being the Gary Post-Tribune, the weekly, the Miller Herald.

The premiere of the 30-minute talk show was aired August 25 with the August 27 show a retransmission. Leroy says his parents were opposed to their son writing, and he took on a byline (James J. Sarsfield for the Post-Tribune, Robert Stewart Harrison for the Herald) so that they were unaware of his exploits. They wanted their son to work at U.S. Steel.

Later in Chicago and New York, he became assistant editor and production editor at Davis Publications, working on a series of five monthly magazines. When the parents saw their son on the newsstands appearing on the cover of certain magazines which bore his name and title, they changed their tune about being anti-publishing.

Leroy, at 65, has been in publishing from Chicago, New York, Istanbul and Geneva, Switzerland, to Kuwait and Bahrain, travelled to nearly 45 countries and is fluent in French and German. The writer talks in the TV show about people he has interviewed, his love of good food - starting in Gary at now defunct Hoosier Grill - and his passion for Scrabble for which he has been the chairman of the Bahrain Scrabble League for 18 years and is a member of the management committee of the World English-language Scrabble Players Association.

In Bahrain for nearly 19 years, Leroy was editor for seven years of a lifestyle monthly magazine, a public-relations executive for an international agency, headed an inbound tourism operation and has now concentrated on writing speeches, press releases, annual reports, feature articles ad copy and even a children's story. Asked whether he had any unfulfilled goals in life, Leroy said that he plans "to go into the jungles" next year for 12 months in order to write either an autobiography or a novel based upon his life.

He's a class of '57 Wirt alumni and Bethel Lutheran Church confirmation class of '54. When he was in Indiana in September 2004, a mini-reunion was organized at the Beach Cafe in Miller. His brothers and sisters are all resident in northwest Indiana: Janice Blankman (Crown Point), Joanne Decker (LaPorte), Gerald Kietzman** (Chesterton) and Kenneth Kietzman (Lake Station).


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**

Gerald R. Kietzman dies at 61

Gerald R. Kietzman, of Chesterton, passed away Thursday, Dec. 21, 2006 at the VNA Horton Hospice Center. He was 61.

He was born Feb. 19, 1945 in Gary to Leroy and Marcella (Gallien) Kietzman, who preceded him in death.

On Sept. 30, 1975 in Penn., he married Carol Hassenplug, who survives.

Gerald graduated from Wirt High School. He served in the U.S. Army during Vietnam and retired from U.S. Steel in 2003 after 35 years of service. He was a member of the Vietnam Veterans of America and the VFW. He loved his family and friends.

He is also survived by two brothers, Leroy of Bahrain, Kenneth of Lake Station; two sisters, Joanne Decker of LaPorte, Janice Blankman of Crown Point and several nieces and nephews.

Cremation arrangements are being handled by Angelcrest Crematory at Moeller Funeral Home, Valparaiso.

Memories Don't Leave Like People Do

By Mario Ranasuriya


The human mind and emotion depend so much on memory. When I was about 8 years old I was introduced to the world of Scrabble where memory was celebrated in each and every game through the power of words, and it started an infatuation with the concept of how words trigger certain memories.

And at the helm of this world was a man who understood this power. An ambassador for the language of memory. Anyone who would read a column Roy would write, whether in his professional work or his casual writings about Scrabble would notice his colourful approach to portraying his own treasured memories. As a mentor to me and many of my friends in the Scrabble world, you could always walk away from either a victory or a loss knowing that Roy would encourage you to keep at it regardless of the result. His presence would always ensure fairness and professionalism because that is what he embodied and upheld at all times.

Thank you Roy for helping make my life in Bahrain so memorable. For making Scrabble in Bahrain and the Gulf what it is today and what all of us pride ourselves in being a part of. Although there is no one who can ever replace you, all of us whose lives you have been a part of will make sure that your contributions and legacy will carry on strong.

Memories don't leave like people do, dear friend, so you will never be forgotten.

Here lies Roy – a kind man

Having worked in publishing for many years in the Gulf, I met Roy through the many functions and official duties where our paths crossed. As the years passed we grew to know each other, despite my complete disinterest in his passion, Scrabble.

After moving to Bahrain in the early Nineties we saw more of each other and realised that we shared a common interest in food and drink. As self-styled gourmets we would meet over lunch to “test the recipes” at the many first class (and second-class) restaurants which then abounded.

From a humble pizza out in the sticks to the highest-aspiring hotels we plied our way. None were more memorable than the countless occasions at the Ramada where that most excellent Chef, James Bill was wont to create dishes especially for Roy. Happy days!

Long after I had moved to Spain, Roy was instrumental in tempting me out of retirement by reselling me on the delights of his beloved Bahrain. Alas it turned out not to be permanent, since my employer was a mere shadow of his famous relations in publishing and dealt with me as slyly and shabbily as he was later to do with Roy.

However, those few months put the clock back and I was once more to share Roy’s avuncular bonhomie and steadfast friendship. Through his wide circle of friends I made other lasting friendships for which I thank him deeply.

Bahrain is much the poorer at his loss. We shall miss him.

His epitaph could well read: “Here lies Roy – a kind man”

John Peers
07 March 2008

GDN's Report

07 March 2009

Here is a Gulf Daily News report:

'Mr Scrabble' Roy Keitzman is mourned

Bahrain's "Mr Scrabble", well-known columnist, writer and journalist, Roy Keitzman, died yesterday.

US citizen Mr Keitzman, in his late 60s, was found dead in bed at around 11am when police broke open the door of his apartment near the Kuwaiti Building, Manama.

Close friend and Bahrain This Month (BTM) editor-in-chief George Middleton, who was the first to arrive on the scene, said that in Mr Keitzman he had lost a long-time associate and editor who had been instrumental in the early success of BTM.

He said Mr Keitzman had attempted to call a friend at 6.50am but failed to get a response. "When the friend called him back at around 10.30am after having noticed the call, there was no response on either the land line or the mobile. That is when the alarm was raised."

He said a driver who routinely visited Mr Keitzman to take him around and who had access to the apartment, also called him (George) after he failed to get to open the front door.

"We reached there with the police at 11am and after forcing ourselves in, found him in bed. He was dead at that time. I feel he may have been unwell early in the morning and had tried to reach his friend who, unfortunately, missed the call."

Mr Middleton said the US embassy in Bahrain has been informed and they in turn are getting in touch with Mr Keitzman's only known relative, his sister Janice Blank, who lives in Indiana.

Long-time friend and Salaam Bahrain editor Meera Ravi said Mr Keitzman, who came to Bahrain in 1985, revolutionised the Scrabble scene in the country.

"We worked together when he came and one day he expressed a desire to play Scrabble. That is when I put him in touch with a friend in the Scrabble league. He did not look back since then. He was a great friend whose advice will always be treasured. We shall all miss him a lot."

Bahraini adventurer Ali Mushaima, also closely associated with Mr Keitzman, said the country has lost someone who never tired of promoting Bahrain wherever he visited.

"He knew Bahrain inside out and was an invaluable asset to the country because he was always tirelessly working with thousands of tourists visiting Bahrain. His command over several languages made him an asset to everyone in Bahrain, especially through his association with the Visitors Guide to Bahrain."

Mr Keitzman, who started playing Scrabble in 1960, was named chairman of the Bahrain Scrabble League in 1985, just after he arrived in Bahrain.

Ten years ago, when Bahrain's General Organisation for Youth and Sport recognised Scrabble as a mind sport, he was appointed president of the government's Bahrain Scrabble Committee.

He spearheaded the organisation, in 1991, of the Gulf Scrabble Tournament which has been held in Bahrain annually since. Mr Keitzman had been competition director for over 50 contests, in Bahrain as well as in India and Oman.

Sources said friends of Mr Keitzman in Bahrain would shortly organise a memorial service but no date has yet been finalised.

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