Kevin Keller

1948 - 2018

Kevin S. Keller, 69, of Livermore, California, passed away on Tuesday, June 26, 2018, from frontotemporal dementia. Born on August 25, 1948, in Chicago, Illinois, to the late Edwin Keller and Geraldine (O'Shea) Keller, Kevin never stopped relishing his role first as the smart-aleck younger brother to Karren and then later as uncle to Kim. He grew up surrounded by his O'Shea family cousins, partaking in the occasional shenanigans, and was both a guitarist and vocalist for the cousin-led band, The Lonely Souls. A 1966 graduate of Holy Cross in River Grove, Illinois, Kevin served as a member of the Air Force in Europe and Vietnam. Upon his return to Chicago, he joined his sister Karren in working at Bankers Life. There, thanks to a fortuitous sales account rep assignment, he met Diane. After a courtship that involved bowling and racquetball dates, national park camping trips, and a bit of disco dancing prowess, Kevin and Diane married on October 23, 1982. Together, they ventured west to California, raising two daughters, Colleen and Erin, in the Bay Area. Kevin taught his daughters the importance of hard work and self-reliance, an appreciation for milkshakes (and their distinction from malts), and the art of making a (likeable) smartass quip. Among the many things Kevin was to many different people, he will be remembered for his meticulous dedication to his work and hobbies that ranged from golf to skiing to the production of Kellenger merlot, his love of cowboy boots and greater love for muscle cars, vintage and new, most especially Corvettes, his legendary sweet tooth, and his mischievous sense of humor. Kevin is survived by his wife of thirty-five years, Diane (Ries) Keller; daughters, Colleen Keller and Erin Keller; sister, Karren (Keller) Leonard; niece, Kimberly (Leonard) Walters, her husband, Nigel Walters and their daughter, Shea Walters; and extended family. Our family would like to extend their sincere thanks and appreciation to the family, friends, caretakers, and hospice that have supported both Kevin and the family throughout this difficult reckoning with frontotemporal dementia. A celebration of Kevin's life will be held in Livermore, California. For those who wish to donate in Kevin's name, we suggest UCSF's Center for Memory and Aging. As one of the top frontotemporal dementia research centers in the world, our family has personally benefited from their clinical research, medical advice, and constant support: https://memory.ucsf.edu/support-us.