Keith Edward O. was born October 16, 1951, in Berkley, California. After a heroic battle with carcinoid cancer, two surgeries and fourteen days in the South Miami Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Ed died September 14, 2012. After obtaining a Ph.D. in Biology in 1984 from the University of California, Santa Cruz, Ed came to Miami where he taught biochemistry in the Southeastern University of the Health Sciences, which in 1994 became Nova Southeastern University. Since doing graduate work with elephant seals and sea lions at Ano Nuevo Island in California, marine mammals have been Ed’s passion. He was active in the International Marine Mammals society, and in 1999 he moved to work part-time at the Nova Oceanographic Center. In Miami, Ed became the “go-to” guy for the media when seeking answers to questions about whales, dolphins or manatees. He enjoyed taking his students on whale watching trips and manatee swims. While working with colleagues from the University of Veracruz on Manatee Preservation in the Alvarado Lagoon System, Veracruz State, Mexico, he was told by an official that there was a problem with mercury in the lagoon system. Jane Guentzel, who is known for her work studying mercury bioaccumulation in the Florida Everglades, joined Ed and Enrique Portilla from the University of Veracruz in a published study of this problem. Ed was President of the 240 Galen Drive Condo Association and on the board of the Grace International Ministries. He is survived by his wife Katherine, his mother Berniece of Denver and two younger sisters, Ann Baalbergen of Atlanta, and Ellen Leak of Denver. A viewing will be held from 5 to 8 pm Thursday 9/20 at the Boyd Panciera Funeral Home, 6400 Hollywood Blvd. one block West of the Fl. Turnpike. A memorial “Going Home” service will be held at 4pm on Friday 9/21 at the Words of Life Fellowship Church, 20051 NE 16th Ave, North Miami Beach one block West of I-95 at Ives Dairy Rd.