James Arthur Keller

James Arthur “Jim” Keller passed away at home after a brief illness on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, at the age of 68. Ingrid, his wife of 42 years, his sons Sam and Matt as well as daughters-in-law Jackie and Steffi were all with him in his final days.
A celebration of life will be held at First Congregational United Church of Christ Fort Worth on Saturday, February 28, at 11:00 A.M. Rev. Isaac Lawson, officiant.
Jim was born on April 5, 1957, in Marshalltown, Iowa, to Margaret Fern Horton Keller and Arthur R. Keller and was the youngest of three children. He loved drawing, flag football, cars and debate team and developed good friendships while growing up, many of which he maintained throughout his life.
Jim graduated from Marshalltown High School in May 1975 and graduated magna cum laude from Texas Christian University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting. After becoming a CPA, he went on to attend the University of Texas School of Law and graduated with his Doctor of Jurisprudence in May 1982.
His professional career began as an attorney for Taylor and Mizell in downtown Dallas. In later years he worked as an agent with the IRS where he gained his love for stale, black coffee. In 1990 Jim began what would become a 25-year career at Practitioners Publishing Company in Fort Worth, now Thomson Reuters. Using the knowledge gained working at the IRS, Jim authored PPC’s Guide to Dealing with the IRS and was instrumental in enhancing and maintaining several other business-related publications, as well as a bi-weekly newsletter. He became an executive editor at Thomson Reuters, and after retiring, spent another 10 years doing contract writing for the company. His colleagues will miss his frank assessments of all situations, but even more, the friendships he forged over the years. He said Thomson Reuters was the perfect fit for him because he enjoyed the combination of technical details as well as the challenge of writing clear explanations for accounting practitioners.
Jim’s life was one of success, but he always said that his greatest achievement was his wonderful family. During his last semester of law school, he attended a party at the UT women’s housing co-ops because a buddy said his girlfriend’s co-op “needed more men at their party.” That night he met the love of his life, Ingrid Haslund, who was in her last year of undergraduate and they wound up talking for hours. The first date was to see the film Casablanca at the UT Student Center with coffee afterwards. They dated while Jim began his first job in Dallas and Ingrid began her first job in New Jersey before she transferred back to Dallas. They were married on November 5, 1983 in the same Dallas church – and by the same Episcopal priest! -- who had officiated the wedding of Ingrid’s parents.
Jim and Ingrid bought her grandparents’ 1930’s Tudor style house in east Dallas, and while they worked on it, made good friends with other young couples who were reviving the neighborhood. Jim volunteered at the Dallas SPCA and wound up adopting three dogs and a cat. One year, returning to the shelter after Christmas, he found one skittish dog remaining. He immediately brought her home and Girl became a beloved member of the family.
He was born with TAR Syndrome, which caused his shorter arms. His disability gave him a passion for helping the most vulnerable people and animals. Jim joined a TARS social media group later in life to encourage the parents of children born with the syndrome.
Their first son, Samuel Haslund Keller, was born in 1990 and their second, Matthew Thomas Keller, arrived in 1994. Throughout his life, Jim’s favorite times were spent with his family. He loved basketball and football and took his boys as well as his father to many Horned Frogs and Mavericks games. Sam attended his first Mavericks basketball event at three weeks old and slept through the entire game. Jim always encouraged Sam and Matt to play various sports and never missed one of their games.
Jim loved traveling with his family and took many vacations to different cities in the U.S. In later years Jim and Ingrid traveled internationally, visiting relatives in Norway, Matt and Steffi in Germany, and with travel groups to other European countries. His favorite vacation took place in 2024 where the whole family enjoyed a week in Jamaica. However, the trip to Paris and Bordeaux over Christmas during which he caught COVID—not so much!
After retirement Jim enjoyed reading detective novels, listening to live music on Friday evenings, gardening, walking with Ingrid and their dog Gary and having breakfast with friends.
Jim became a runner and completed two marathons and several half marathons. He volunteered with Sam and Matt’s Boy Scout troop, taught Sunday School and was a deacon and treasurer for First Congregational Church. Jim was known for his dry wit and great sense of humor. He always expressed gratitude for the life he had and was so appreciative of all who helped him.
He is survived by his wife Ingrid Keller; son Sam Keller and his wife Jaclyn Bays; son Matt Keller and his wife Stefanie Legler; sisters Judy Laney and her husband Bob and Kathy Bartelt and husband Craig, and his Super Aunt Joyce Keller as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in memory of Jim to Texas Metro Wildlife Rehabilitators or Education and Animal Rescue Society (EARS) or The Fresca Fund
c/o Savannah Sutton 1501 Handley Drive Fort Worth, Texas 76112