Barbara Jane Keller

Jane Keller, 68, went home to be with her Lord and Savior at 6:10 p.m., November 20, 2011 at home, surrounded by her family following a courageous two year battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). She faced this disease with love, grace, and dignity. She was born September 18, 1943 to Fredrick and Elizabeth Banks Pitthan, who preceded her in death. On August 11, 1962 she married the love of her life John A. Keller, who survives in Wapakoneta. They were married for 49 years. Jane was a graduate of Wapakoneta High School, Apollo Vocational Licensed Practical Nursing Program, and Lima Technical College Registered Nursing Program. During her nursing career she was the Director of Nursing at Cridersville Nursing Home for 10 years. She then went on to practice nursing for the Auglaize Family Practice for 18 years. She was a devoted, compassionate, and caring nurse. Jane loved her family and she was a wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother. She loved her Lord Jesus with all her heart, soul, and mind and was a member of Shawnee Alliance Church in Lima, Ohio, for 40 years. She had a servant’s heart and travelled extensively on missions trips to Mali (Africa), Dominican Republic, and Guatemala. She enjoyed caring for needy children in orphanages and helping to deliver babies at the Koutiala Hospital in Mali. She also went to Waveland, Mississippi, three times to help families with reconstruction from hurricane Katrina. Jane enjoyed the outdoors and was extremely active. She loved cooking, gardening, tandem bicycling with her husband, hiking, fishing, having fellowship with her church small group, and playing cards with her life-time friends in her card club. At the age of 50 she took up downhill and cross country skiing. She loved to ski with her family. She was a certified master gardener, a long time volunteer with the Wapakoneta City Schools, and a member of the Child Conservation League since 1964. Survivors also include her three children, Elizabeth “Beth” (Ross) Kantner of Wapakoneta, Susan (Craig) Niemeyer of Grand Junction, CO, and Paul (Kate) Keller of Indianapolis, IN; five grandchildren, Ryan and Kaitlin Kantner, Tatum and Tristin Niemeyer, and Benjamin Keller; a brother, Fred (Dee) Pitthan, of Rockford, IL; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. Services will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, November 26, 2011 at Shawnee Alliance Church. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery in Wapakoneta. Friends may call 2-4 & 6-8 p.m., Fri. Nov. 25, 2011, at the Bayliff & Eley Funeral Home, St. Rt. 501, Wapakoneta, and 1 hr. prior to the service, Sat. at the church. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to The Gideons International, Shawnee Alliance Church building fund, St. Rita’s Hospice or the ALS Association of Ohio.

Barbara Jane Keller

September 18, 1943 - November 20, 2011