Helen J. Keller

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Helen J. Keller, age 85, of Nerstrand, died Wednesday, January 5, 2022, at the Northfield Hospital.

Helen J., the daughter of Elmer and Eva (Forsyth) Hill, was born on April 1, 1936, in LaCrosse, WI. She was the oldest of 6 children. Her family farmed near Rushford, MN and she graduated from Rushford High School in 1954. Following her graduation, she attended Luther College in Decorah, IA for one year and then Winona State for one year. After that, she headed to Minneapolis where she resided at the Girl’s Club. Several uncles and aunts had encouraged her to come to the “city” and while there she worked at Daytons. She met her husband-to-be through a blind date and the rest is history.

She married Wilmer “Pete” Keller on September 10, 1960 at Highland Prairie Church in Peterson, MN and then moved back to the country to farm and live the remainder of her life in rural Nerstrand. They had twins, John and Catherine. They were active members of First English Lutheran Church where Helen served as a Sunday School teacher, Church Council member, participant in the Women’s Circle Group and WELCA Treasurer.

For 34 years she worked at the Faribault Area Training and Education as a teacher’s assistant mainstreaming special needs students into the high school and also into the workforce after graduation. On the farm, she also spent many hours in the field plowing and cultivating. She had been known to help move a few cows and hogs if an extra body was needed. Her favorite part of living on a farm was the abundant land to grow vegetable and flower gardens. During the summer months there were always clothes hanging to dry on the clothes lines and you could hear Christian music playing through the open windows.
During retirement, Helen and Pete could be found at Wimpy’s in Faribault having lunch, and in the evenings at their grandkids school activities and sporting events.

When she was just 4 years old, she survived a devastating house fire that killed her two younger sisters. She also had scoliosis of the spine which later in life was physically draining at times. But she never dwelled on these things. She felt much compassion for the disabled and less fortunate. She taught her family to always be grateful for what God had given them. Going to church became more difficult as she got older, but she always had KDHL on Sunday mornings to hear the worship services.

“Well done, good and faithful servant”

Survivors include her two children, John (and Cheryl) Keller of Faribault and Cathy (and Tom) Malecha of Mahtomedi; three grandchildren, Blake and Lindsey Malecha and Holden Keller; two siblings, Carroll (and Corrine) Hill and Carrie (Richard) VanCitters; one sister-in-law, Arlene Bultman; other relatives; and friends.

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Wilmer; two sisters in infancy, LaVonne & Evelyn; and one brother, Raymond Hill.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 8, 2022, at 12 noon at First English Lutheran Church, Faribault with the Reverend Mark Johnson, officiating. Interment will be at Valley Grove Cemetery, Nerstrand. Visitation will be held at the church for one hour prior to the service on Saturday.