Walter Lloyd Keller

1929 - 2017

Walter Lloyd Keller, 87, of Borger, passed away Monday, October 9, 2017 in Amarillo.

Funeral mass will be held at 10:30 am on Friday, October 13, 2017 at St. John Catholic Church, Borger. Presiding will be Father Richard Zanetti. The Rosary will be recited beginning at 6:30 pm on Thursday, October 12, 2017 in the Minton Memorial Chapel at Minton Chatwell Funeral Home.

Walt was born December 15, 1929 to Fred Keller and Rosa Rutti Keller. He and his twin brother, Warren, were the youngest of 9 children. He graduated from High school in 1947 in Marysville, Kansas. He worked for the railroad and joined the Navy in December, 1949. Walt served aboard the USS Essex aircraft carrier as an aviation mechanic servicing fighter planes in the Korean War. He was Aviation Machinist Mate E Third Class. After discharge, he continued service in the Naval Reserve until 1962. In 2014, he was honored as a member of the Texas Panhandle Honor Flight, touring Washington, D.C.

He met Adelaide Josephine Masek in March, 1954 at an American Legion dance the day he returned home from active duty. They were married on November 20, 1954 in Beatrice, Nebraska. After working for the city of Wymore, Nebraska and Dempster Mills in Beatrice, Nebraska, Walt went to work for Natural Gas Pipeline Company in 1961 working in the Communications Department. He transferred to Fritch in 1966 as an electrician. Walt retired in 1994 and spent a lot of time designing and building furniture for his family.

Walt helped establish the Kids Inc. sports program in Fritch. He also began a 46 year association with the Boy Scouts of America and Boy Scout Troop 548 (Fritch). He served as assistant scoutmaster, scoutmaster, Committee Chairman and Merit Badge Counselor. Later he also served as Counselor and on the Committee with Troop 507 (Borger). In addition, he served as Eagle Board of Review chairman for the Adobe Walls District. He mentored and helped many Scouts obtain the rank of Eagle. In 1981 he was awarded Scouting's Silver Beaver award.

He was a member of St. John's Catholic Church where he served as a Eucharistic Minister. He was also a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 3558.

His hobbies included woodworking, hunting, fishing, camping and reading. He was always there to help out family and friends.

Walter is preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Alice Klataske, Lillian Loth, Alma Lemmon, and Marguerite Kostal; brothers; Jake, Ivan, Warren, and Vincent Keller.

Survivors include his wife, Adelaide; children, Kent Keller and wife Tammy of Brunswick, Georgia, Karyn Abbe and husband Bruce of Borger, and Kristi Winn and husband Richard of Saginaw, Texas; two grandsons, Kelly Richards of Borger and friend Loren Teague, Kristopher Richards and wife Erin of College Station; sisters-in-law; Wilma Keller of Beatrice, Nebraska and Lucille Meier of Aurora, Nebraska, and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers his memory may be honored with a gift to the Parkinson's Foundation, 200 SE 1st Street Suite 800, Miami, Florida 33131; Boy Scout Troop 548, PO Box 1540, Fritch, Texas 79036 or Boy Scout Troop 507, 722 Skyline, Borger, Texas 79007 or to St. John Catholic Church, 201 St. John's Road, Borger, Texas 79007.