Kathleen V. Keller

KATHLEEN V. KELLER

Kathleen V. Keller, age 90, 378 Riverhill Drive, Catawissa, shook off this mortal coil on Wednesday, November 25, 2009, at her home and died shortly after being admitted to Geisinger Medical Center, Danville.

Born on January 21, 1919 in Catawissa Township, she was a daughter of the late Nelson and Myrtle (Breech) Artley.

She attended the former "Swamp" School in Franklin Township, a one room school, and graduated from the former Catawissa High School in 1937.

For 18 years she and her late husband, Clarence, operated Keller Farm Dairy where they pasteurized, homogenized and sold fresh milk in reusable glass bottles.

Kathleen was a member of the Mt. Zion United Methodist Church; the Roaring Creek Valley Grange; and more recently the Red Hat Society.

When her boys were young, she was a successful Sarah Coventry Fashion Show Director. Later she taught 4-H classes; was a Laubach Literacy tutor; and a student of piano, saxaphone and carpentry. She volunteered with the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble and was employed by the Press Enterprise for 14 years, retiring at age 83.

Kathleen maintained a flourishing friendship with a pen pal in Wales, United Kingdom, for 46 years. There were hundreds of aerogrammes and later visits to and from both sides of the Atlantic. Similarly she welcomed travelers, sojourners and students into her home. For example, she welcomed a teacher from Bilbao, Spain and he in turn invited her to his wedding in Spain the following year. She accepted the invitation along with a friend Dorothy and after the ceremony they toured Portugal, Spain and Morocco. Through the years she traveled extensively from China to the Baltic countries, New Zealand to Japan, and from Iceland to Central America.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Clarence C. Keller, on October 21, 1985; by a son, Jack Keller in 2007; by two sisters: Iris Artley Mayernick and Leona Artley; and by a brother Mervin Artley.

Surviving are five children: Jay Keller, Hermosa Beach, Calif.; Robert Keller, and his wife Nancy, Catawissa; Lesa Keller, Seattle, Wash.; LuAn Keller, at home; Terry Artley, and his wife Brenda, Danville; a daughter in law, Valerie Keller, Centreville, Va.; six grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; a sister, Arlene Kile, Bloomsburg; and two brothers: Phannus Artley, Danville and Hoover Artley, and his wife Mary, Catawissa.

Kathleen's life was saved once by the late Dr. Phillip Irey and she was cared for by Dr. Dennis Sheehe in later life. Out of respect for these doctors and others who extended her life, she donated her body for study by medical students via the Humanity Gifts Registry of Pennsylvania body donor program.

Memorials may be sent to the Bloomsburg Public Library, 225 Market St., Bloomsburg or to the Bloomsburg Theatre Ensemble, 226 Center St., Bloomsburg, PA 17815.

Memorial services will be held at a time to be announced/

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Dean W. Kriner, Inc., Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 325 Market St., Bloomsburg.