Waltraud G. "Wallie" Keul

Waltraud G. Keul, affectionately known as "Wallie" to her friends, was a longtime resident of Nacogdoches and passed away Monday, August 11, 2008, in the home of her eldest son, Norman Keul, in Durham, North Carolina, at the age of eighty-one. Waltraud Alicia Dorothea Gemmel was born October 5, 1926, in Koethen, Germany, the daughter of Walter and Hildegard Gemmel. Her elder brother, Karl-Heinz, preceded her in death several years ago. Wallie grew up in Germany during World War II. At 20 years of age, she met her future husband, Carl Keul, an American soldier, when his unit occupied her family home. After only a week of courtship, he proposed marriage, shortly before returning to the States. A year later, Wallie was finally permitted to leave Germany for the United States, where she married Carl in 1947. After living more than a decade in Tallahassee, Florida, the Keul family settled in Nacogdoches in 1960, when Carl became professor of German and head of the foreign language department at Stephen F. Austin State University. Wallie was a devoted homemaker and mother to their four children on a small farm outside of town. After her children were grown up, Wallie's generous nature and vitality prompted her to volunteer at the Nacogdoches Treatment Center, where she quickly became indispensable as a physical therapist. Later she also volunteered at Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital. In all realms of her life, her strength and extraordinary empathy touched many people. These same qualities enabled her to care for her invalid husband in the last decade of their 49-year marriage. In her later years, Wallie met Frank La Barbera, whom she affectionately called her "soul mate." Their loving devotion sustained them both, even through her final battle with cancer. Waltraud Keul is survived by her four children: Carla K. Mansee of Ciudad Victoria, Mexico, Norman Keul of Durham, North Carolina, Kurt Keul of Mineral, Texas, and Eric Keul of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Wallie was also enormously proud of her eleven grandchildren: Kim, Lorelei, Marilyn, Leah, James, Jenny, Jackie, Adam, Andrew, Seth and Jared; as well as of her eight great-grandchildren. The Keul family will receive visitors from 5 until 7 p.m. Thursday, August 14, 2008 at Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Home. The funeral service will follow at 10 a.m. Friday, August 15, 2008, in Sunset Memorial Park. Presiding will be Robert Kobler, pastor of Redeemer Lutheran Church, where Wallie was an active member for many years. Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors.