Andrew Keller

Andrew Ross Keller
April 23, 1984 - June 2, 2018
Andrew Ross Keller passed away June 2, 2018, in Lakewood, CO. Friends and family remember the pure joy our dear Andy radiated in childhood. At birthday parties he insisted on giving his presents to other children. As a little boy, he would welcome the day by singing good morning to the sun at his window. Andy often staged imaginative performances with his sister and neighborhood friends. He had the sweetest demeanor, and brought light and love to everyone he met.
After attending Fruita Monument High School, Andy attended Mesa State College. He was an enthusiastic student, and as the constraints of traditional curricula did not easily satisfy his appetite for learning or his curiosity, he often pursued his education in a more independent manner. Andy would master one new interest (kayaking, astronomy, woodworking, landscaping, and more) before moving on to the next. One constant in his life was a passion for reading. He was not only a voracious reader from his earliest years, he also had an encyclopaedic intelligence and astounding ability to teach himself and others nearly any topic with deep understanding, no matter how complex. He was quick-witted and hilarious, and could make anyone ache with laughter. He was a gifted writer, a talented artist, and an adept scientist. Above all, though, what we admire in Andy is that he was a gentle, compassionate, kind, and long-suffering caregiver.
In 2008 Andy moved to Marble City, OK with his partner, Andrew Thompson, where Andrew T. was suddenly diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. For two painful years, Andy and Andrew fought a devastating battle while traveling between OK and Little Rock, AR. While he helped his partner navigate cancer treatments, Andy was frequently mistaken for an M.D. himself by world-renowned doctors, due to his vast knowledge of the medical sciences and attentive devotion to Andrew's care. Andy was only 26 years old. Following Andrew Thompson's death in 2010, Andy moved back to Grand Junction and began taking care of his ailing grandmother, Dorothy Dority. Andy carried Grandma through her difficult final months with a tenderness and dignity for which our family will be forever grateful.
Trying to regain his footing after these two heartbreaking losses, Andy moved to Denver to continue his education at Metropolitan State University of Denver, where he studied Biology. He worked as a CNA, and later in the biology research labs at National Jewish Hospital. Andy loved Colorado, and revelled in the desert, mountains, and natural beauty around him. He was able to nurture anyone and anything - whether plants, animals, or people - with not only exceptional skill, but exceptional love.
Sadly, Andy struggled to fully flourish again after Andrew's death, despite moments and seasons of vibrancy. He leaves us bereft of not only his presence, but also his promising future. He brought something wonderfully unique to this world, and to our (and many others') lives. Andy suffered much cruelty in life, and we hope that others will join us in working to make the world a kinder, more hospitable place in his memory. We will never stop missing, loving, and cherishing our beloved Andy. We long to be reunited with him again one day.
He is survived by his parents, Beth and Frank; sister, Katie Keller (Joey Stenberg), of Berlin, Germany; brother, Thomas, of Denver, CO, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and loved ones.
Donations in his memory may be made to Grand Valley Catholic Outreach.
A funeral Mass will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church on June 22 at 1:00 p.m. "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."