John Philip Keller

Upon the death of our Father, John Philip Keller, we gather today to honor his life. He was born to Arthur and Marian Keller on March 12, 1919 at a weight of 3 ½ lbs. His Aunt Helen said his mother truly kept him alive in front of an oven door. Seven months later war loomed on the horizon making a family stick together and they did it with harmony, laughter, and love. Being a Christian family, his sisters, Betty and Mary Lou and his brother, Arthur grew up going to church, singing, praying and taking piano lessons. Days were hard financially and they worked long, hard days on the farm. School attendance was not followed by much play. He did love marbles and felt great remorse when he lost most of his marbles during one game. He graduated from Sterling, KS in 1936. Jack worked with his Dad in the oil business. The great depression lingered making it difficult for Jack to finish his college education.



Jack met his sweetheart, Bonnie Jean, through his sisters who were classmates. They were married on June 30, 1940. He lost his job the next day. Rationing of tires, gas and sugar made life difficult. Robert Wayne was born the next year and Patricia Jean arrived 2 years later. The invasion of Europe and Pearl Harbor sent him to Okinawa in the Philippines. A favorite story of his departure was of him traveling by train on the first leg of his departure. The train tracks and the road Jean traveled to return to her home and 3 children ran parallel. When the train would stop so would she. She would run to the train and he would put down his window, lift her up and kiss her….all to the cheers and whoots of those watching. This repeated itself until she turned to go home.



Phyllis Joan arrived shortly before his departure and John Douglas arrived thereafter completing their family of 4. They worked hard to give their children those things that would equip them for life, including a Christian home and a good work ethic. The home was filled with laughter and fun. He and his wife were active in the church. They were there whenever the doors were open. His working life was in the gas business.



When he lost his sweetheart, Jean, in 2003, he spent that first year pouring over the scriptures. When asked, his advice for survival was to have a routine for daily life. Jack was a man of faith, believing in a deeper walk with the Lord and spent his hours reading his Bible and in prayer for his family of 4 children, seven grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. He was adored and loved by them all and he will be greatly missed.



We honor our Dad and our Grandpa. We celebrate the legacy he left us and are grateful for the sacrifice he made for those he loved, but more importantly for sharing with us the Lord Jesus Christ.