Helen Taylor Keller

Helen Taylor Keller, 76, of Harrisburg, PA, formerly of Lonaconing, MD, passed away on September 19, 2025 at Hershey Medical Center due to complications related to thyroid cancer. She was born October 3, 1948, in Frostburg, MD, to the late Charles and Margaret (Robertson) Taylor.

Helen graduated Valley High School in 1966. She returned to post-secondary education in 1986 and graduated from Frostburg State University with a Bachelor of Science in 1989 and a Master of Education in 1994. She was influential in shaping the lives of countless children until her retirement from the Allegany County Board of Education in 2018. Her passion for learning extended beyond the classroom; she was an avid reader who found joy in the pages of her favorite books. She had a fondness for Hallmark movies and cooking shows, and any visitors would often find her watching these shows and get caught up in them with her. Helen's love for a good glass of chardonnay or mimosa was well-known, often enjoyed during family gatherings and celebrations. A proud member of the First Presbyterian Church of Lonaconing, MD, Helen lived her life with purpose, kindness, and service to others. She was also a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, the International Society for Key Woman Educators, the American Legion in Frostburg and the Cumberland American Kennel Club.

Helen was a cherished mother and leaves behind son, Joseph (Kris) Hughes and wife Samantha, daughter, Margaret (Meg) Ross, and husband Donnie. She will be lovingly remembered by her brother, Thomas Taylor, and grandchildren Margaret (Maggie) Ross, Elizabeth (Lizzy), Joseph (Joey), and Cameron (Cam) Hughes, as well as many other extended family members and friends. Additionally, Helen leaves behind a dear friend, Jane Diplock, and husband Phillip Meyer, of New Zealand, with whom she shared letters from the time the girls were nine and ten years old. The letters were followed by several visits across continents and their correspondence continued over 60 years through email until Helen's passing. In addition to her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband, Phillip Keller and sister-in-law, Virginia Taylor.

Funeral services to honor her memory will be held on Friday, October 3, 2025 at 1 PM at the Garrison Forest Veterans Cemetery in Owings Mills, MD. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made in Helen's memory to the First Presbyterian Church of Lonaconing, MD.