Edward Keller Jr.

Edward H. Keller Jr., the son of Edward H. Sr. and Maud May (Town) Keller, was born May 1, 1919, in Marion County. The family moved to Canada for three years and then returned to Decatur County, where Ed farmed with his father for several years.  He graduated from Leon High School in 1936. He served in the United States Navy from 1942-1946 and then attended Iowa State College for one year. He began a career with the Maytag Company in 1947.

On Feb. 6, 1948, Ed was united in marriage with Ruth Scott at St. Brendan Catholic Church in Leon.  Upon retiring in 1978 from the “tool crib” in the Maytag Maintenance Department, Ed began his second career selling real estate. He was a member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Newton, the Knights of Columbus and the V.F.W. Ed was a hard worker and enjoyed helping friends and family with their projects. He enjoyed bowling, the Chicago Cubs, playing his harmonica, reading, playing pitch and working with his farm animals.

Ed died on Tuesday, May 21, 2013, at Careage of Newton. He was 94 years old. Ed was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Marjorie Keller; and his brothers, Robert Keller and Melvin Keller.

Those left to honor Ed’s memory include his wife of 65 years, Ruth Keller, of Newton; his sons, John (Lynn) Keller of Newton; Gary (Linda) Keller of Audubon, and Joe (Marijo) Keller of Cedar Falls; his daughters, Jane Arceo of Cedar Rapids, Marilyn (Jim) Decker of Newton, and Sue (Mike) Price of Mingo; his 19 grandchildren; his 15 great-grandchildren with one on the way; his sisters, Mildred Bennett of Leon and Gladys (Miles) Leeper of Leon; and his many nieces and nephews.

A funeral mass will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Newton. The family will greet friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Pence-Reese Funeral Home in Newton. A public vigil service will begin at 8 p.m.  Memorials may be designated to the Sacred Heart Cemetery Fund or to the Jasper County Animal Rescue League and Humane Society and may be left at the church or at Pence-Reese Funeral Home. Online condolences may be left at www.pencefh.com.