Keller, Robert "Roy", 91 , passed away March 21, 2021 in Wichita.

R obert Roy Keller was born and raised on a farm in Nothern Pratt County in a home of 5 brothers and 5 sisters. He accepted Christ into his life in his youth, was baptized and soon joined the Eden Valley Free Methodist Church. After graduation from high school, Roy went to Wichita to work and live with a cousin who was married to one of Jean's aunts. Roy and Jean soon started dating. A year later they were married, on September 3, 1950. A few months later, Uncle Sam drafted Roy. After basic Training in Fort Jackson, South Carolina, he spent one year in South Korea as a switch board Operator, cook, and ambulance  driver. He was a corporal and received two Bronze Service Stars. A few month after arriving back in the states, Roy was released from the Army and returned to work at the Coleman Company as a spray painter and later as the lead man of the department. Three children were welcomed into the home. First, a son, Robert Roy Jr.; next a daughter, Janet Gail; and last another daughter, Beverly Anne. He and his family attended the Calvary Missionary Church, enjoying the fellowship, services, and feeling very satisfied with their lives. In his early thirties, after preaching a few times, Roy felt the call to ministry and soon began preparation by taking classes at Friends University and correspondence courses through the Free Methodist Church. He was ordained on July 9, 1967.

H is first appointment was as Assistant Pastor for two years at the Riverside F.M. Church in Wichita. Following this, he pastored in Kingman, Kansas for one year while still living and working full time in Wichita. His family remembers the weekly trips to Kingman, usually a fun time, at least for the kids. They then sold their home and moved to Minneapolis, Kansas for six years. During this time he also drove a school bus, cleaned office buildings, and painted many homes to help with finances. His family was enjoying small town living and loving Minneapolis. Then the conference asked them to return to Wichita to pastor the Crestway F.M.Church. Robert Jr. was just leaving for his first year at Central College in McPherson, Janice a sophomore in high school, and Beverly in the 5th grade. Robert to his Minneapolis High School sweetheart, Tracy Comfort, Janice to Randy Claassen, whom she met many years before at family camp and became much better acquainted with upon their move to Crestway, the church his family attended. Beverly also met Steve Rue and his family at the church. Six grandchildren also joined their family during the years at Crestway. He was then appointed to the Topeka Free Methodist Church. He ministered seven years in Topeka, so happy to be especially close to their son, Robert, and his family. Four more grandchildren were added, but in October 1991 his oldest granddaughter, a twelve year old red haired girl, who loved life so much that even a fly had a right to live, was kidnapped and murdered. Only by the grace and strength given to them by God, did Roy and Jean endure this tragedy. Brenda had loved Jesus so much! Grandpa Roy is definitely renewing his loving relationship with his precious granddaughter.

A fter 32 years of ministry, retirement was becoming a reality...one more final move...they thought...then came word that Crestway in Wichita wanted Roy to return as visitation pastor. Two years were spent in Wichita, adding one more little granddaughter, giving them eleven: 9 girls and two boys. In 1997 they moved to Hillsboro, where their oldest daughter and family lived, and another opportunity to continue in ministry as visitation pastor at Parkview M.B. Church. While they served at Parkview, they added six more grandchildren, and they also celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.  At every church, Roy and Jean worked together as a team - Roy preaching, and both ministering to the children, youth, adults, and families. Every move was hard for them, too; they lived for and loved their church families. But after ministering for families all around the conference and with Parkview with the elderly, Roy and Jean moved to Valley Center, close to where their youngest daughter lived. Roy really missed ministering, but they had the best mowed yard, best garden, and the neatest painted home inside and out. But his life was never as fulfilling as it had been as when he was telling others about his personal Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He never met a stranger, and still had a passion for others to learn about Jesus and what Jesus could do for their life. In 2019, the love of his life, Jean, left this earth to be with Jesus. whenever he met anyone new he would tell them about his wife, and that she was "the best pastor's wife!" They were married for 69 years, and when she left a large part of his passion to live left with her. He didn't want to live in their home alone, so he moved in with his oldest daughter, who had just lost her husband eight months before. He still gardened, pulled many weeds in the lawn, painted a gazebo, back deck, and bed room. He could be often seen reading his Bible, and praying. Most of all, he prayed  for his family, his brothers, sisters and their spouses, his 17 grandchildren, and his 27 great grandchildren. His heart was so burdened that "WE WOULD BE AN UNBROKEN FAMILY AROUND GOD'S THRONE"

R oy's visitation will be from 5 - 7 p.m. Thursday, March 25, at Heritage of El Dorado, and his funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Friday, March 26, at The Benton Church in Benton. Interment will follow at the Towanda Cemetery, Towanda.