Leander Keck

1928 - 2024

Leander Keck
January 16, 2024
Leander E. Keck, former Dean of the Yale Divinity School (1979-1989) and Winkley Professor of Biblical Theology, passed away peacefully in his home this past week at age 95.
Keck's family was part of the German diaspora that had migrated from their German homelands into Ukraine in the early 1800s. They subsequently moved to the northern Plains states around 1900. Keck grew up working on a farm, first in North Dakota where he was born, and later in Washington state where he also worked in a lumber mill.
After graduating from Linfield College in Oregon, he studied at Andover Newton Theological Seminary and earned his Ph.D. at Yale. He taught at Wellesley, Vanderbilt, and Emory before coming to Yale to serve as the Divinity School's dean for ten years. After that, he continued to teach at Yale until he retired in 1997.
The author of numerous books and articles, he also sought to find ways to make the best of biblical scholarship available to the lives of local congregations. Although he was an ordained minister in both Baptist and Disciples of Christ denominations, he did not serve as a pastor, but frequently served as a guest preacher, and he mentored many students.
He enjoyed gardening, watching college football and Atlanta Braves baseball, travelling, following American and British politics, and baking (especially rhubarb pie).
Keck was blessed with two wonderful marriages, first to Janice Osburn (whom he cared for at home until she died from Alzheimer's disease in 2001), and then to Ann Childs, the widow of a dear friend and fellow biblical scholar, Brevard Childs. Keck is survived by his brother Don Keck; Janice Gruhn, a cousin he grew up with and whom he always regarded as his sister; three nieces and a nephew (Cheryl Van Hoose, Cynthia Nesselroade, LaLani Green, and Dean Keck); Ann Keck and her two children (John Childs and Cathy Applewhite); and his two sons from his first marriage and their families: Stephen Keck (Samantha Koo and Darwin Keck) and David Keck (Karin Gollin, Olivia Keck, and Elijah Keck).
The public is invited to a memorial service on Saturday, January 27 at 10:30 a.m. in the Marquand Chapel and Yale Divinity School. A reception will follow. Arrangements are with the Hawley Lincoln Memorial, 424 Elm St., New Haven.
Those who wish to make a gift in his memory may donate to the Leander E. Keck Scholarship Fund at Yale Divinity School.
Contact the YDS Development Office with any questions, by phoning (203) 432-8127.