Downtown Winston-Salem Advocate Glenda Keels Dies

Glenda Keels, a pioneer in downtown Winston-Salem development, has died.

Keels was a lifelong Winston-Salem resident with a vision for the future. During the early 1970s as people fled downtown in droves, Keels saw an opportunity for revitalization. She worked alongside multiple mayors, then in the 1980s was the first executive director of The Central Winston-Salem Association.

Known as someone who “got things done,” she started many of the signature programs downtown, such as Summer on Trade and the Farmers Market.

Jason Thiel, president of the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership, worked with Keels while she was vice president. He says she was one of the most important faces in the rebirth downtown.

“She was the connection of the period of time when there was disinvestment, and she was the person and the champion who held together the pride of downtown, until we were to see better days. ”

A service will be held for Glenda Keels on Saturday. She was 73 years old.