Thomas F. Keller

Thomas F. Keller, age 89, of Cherry Hill, NJ, passed away peacefully at home on January 6, 2026. He was born in Midland, PA, and was the son of the late William R. and Helen (nee Clise) Keller, Sr. He was proceeded in death by his beloved wife of 58 years, Jane E. (nee Nylen) Keller.
After serving in the US Army, Tom graduated from Newark College of Engineering in 1967 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He began working in sales and retired as a Vice President at Pentair Electronic Packaging in 2002. Throughout his career, Tom was known as a smart businessman with a heart of gold, and provided a fair and honest workplace for hundreds of families.
Tom & Jane were active members of St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Cherry Hill since 1970, and together they led Youth Ministry activities for seven years. He also served tirelessly on the church property committee and several terms as a member of the council.
In his spare time, Tom enjoyed woodworking in his workshop, making or repairing furniture and crafting toys. His creations were made with an attention to detail and most importantly, Papa love. He especially enjoyed gifting his handmade toys to a wide circle of extended family, friends and neighbors. He was also passionate about researching the Keller-Clise family tree and traced his lineage back 12 generations to the year 1620.
Tom and Jane shared precious family time with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in Avalon, NJ. Boating and fishing on the bay, jazz nights on the deck and trips to his favorite local ice cream shop were shared by all. In recent years, he felt close to Jane while sitting on her memorial bench overlooking the ocean.
Tom loved making connections with others, whether at the grocery store, church, or around the neighborhood. Through his love of history, literature, jazz, genealogy, Philadelphia sports, and the Jersey shore, he found ways to connect with each of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He loved his family with a loyalty and commitment that will be deeply missed but will inspire strong family bonds for generations to come.
Tom was the loving father of Linda Plaskota (Thomas) of Naperville, IL; Susan Keller (Alana Homan) of Indianapolis, IN; Glenn Keller (Patricia) of Cherry Hill, NJ and Nancy Porowski (Russell) of Cherry Hill, NJ.
He was the beloved "Papa" to eight grandchildren, Jennifer (Bob) Schiller, Matthew (Melissa) Plaskota, Christopher (Alysha Daytner) Plaskota, Emelia (Jack Dragani) Keller, Patrick Keller, Benjamin (Madison Temple) Porowski, Hanna and Emma Porowski; and three great-grandchildren, Sarah and Luke Plaskota, and Evelyn Schiller.
Tom was the devoted brother of William R. (Alice) Keller, Jr, of Willow Spring, NC; and uncle to Robert J.(Sheila) Keller of Richmond Hill, GA, and the late William R. (Audrey) Keller, III, of Florida and Massachusetts.
To honor Tom's final wishes, a private service and interment at Colestown Cemetery, Cherry Hill, NJ, will be held. His family appreciates your understanding, thoughts and prayers.
Two charities close to Tom's heart were the
Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/
and the National Psoriasis Foundation https://www.psoriasis.org/
The family requests those who wish to express sympathy to consider making a donation in Tom's name.