Obituary of William Keller

William E. Keller (Bill) passed away on July 12, 2021, in his Houston, Texas residence. He was 95 years old.

Bill was born in Greensburg, Kansas on September 25, 1925, and graduated from Greensburg High School in 1943. Shortly after graduation, he was drafted into the United States Army and saw combat duty in the Philippines during World War II. Following the war, he attended Kansas State University on the G.I. Bill, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural economics and history.

Bill returned to the family farm in Greensburg after graduation. Farming was a great love of his, and thoughts of returning to the farm sustained him through difficult times during the war. He was a pioneer in irrigation and was the second person in Kiowa County to drill an irrigation well for agricultural purposes, in 1954.

Flying was another of Bill’s loves, and in 1960 he was again called to active military duty, this time as an officer in the Air Force during the Korean Conflict. He served stateside as a second lieutenant for two years at Lowry Airforce Base in Denver, Colorado.

Upon discharge from the Air Force, he came back to the family farm and met Janice Nickel, a Wichita school teacher. They were married on May 31, 1967, and made their home in Greensburg where Bill was a long-time member of the United Methodist Church and Lions Club. He also served as county commissioner for Kiowa County.

He was preceded in death by his sister Elizabeth Moody Keller. Survivors include his wife, son Kurt and Kurt’s wife Marion, son Joseph, grandchildren Mary Lou and Katherine, nephew Justin Moody, and niece Laura Jurecic Moody.

A funeral service for Bill will take place at the Joseph J. Earthman Generations funeral home in Houston at 10:30am on Saturday, July 17. He will be laid to rest in Greensburg, Kansas, and there will be no gravesite service.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Hope for Warriors.