Buell Keith Sutherland, of Las Vegas, passed away Feb. 25, 2011, at the age of 54.

Keith was born Nov. 18, 1956, in St. Louis, Mo., to William and Lawanda Sutherland. When he was 3, he and his older brother Brady moved west with their parents to Phoenix, Ariz., then to Las Vegas, and ultimately settled in Pahrump.

Keith was the first valedictorian of the newly-built Pahrump Valley High School. He often joked that the school was finished just in time for graduation. After completing high school, he completed apprenticeships in both carpentry and millwright work.

He married Pamela Hickman  October 10, 1980. They lived in Las Vegas and had two daughters, Aynsley, in 1984, and Rachel, in 1986.

In 1987, the family moved to Pahrump. Keith worked as a millwright at the Nevada Test Site for many years, and then in construction until his retirement in 2000. He returned to Las Vegas in 2006.

Keith is survived by his daughters, Rachel Sutherland, of Las Vegas and Aynsley Sutherland, of Boulder City; mother, Lawanda Sutherland, of Pahrump, and brother William Sutherland, Jr, of Las Vegas.

There will be a private service for friends and family on Saturday, March 5, 2011, in Las Vegas.