Robert Joseph Keller

Retired Chaplin Colonel Robert J. Keller, age 68, died peacefully at Henry Ford Macomb Hospital in Clinton Township on January 14, 2016. Bob was born in Detroit on April 7, 1947, the son of Joseph and Lottie Keller. He attended St. Veronica Elementary School in East Detroit and then entered Sacred Heart Seminary where he graduated high school and earned his Bachelor's Degree. He continued his education at St. John Provincial Seminary in Plymouth Township where he received his Master's of Divinity degree in 1982. Rev. Keller was ordained June 21, 1974 and celebrated his first mass at St. Vernoica Church in East Detroit. In 1974 he was appointed Associate Pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Plymouth. In 1979 he served as Associate Pastor of St. Athanasius Parish in Roseville. In 1982 he served as Administrator at St. Paul (Albanian) Parish, in Warren. In 1986 he was appointed Pastor at St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Harper Woods where he remained until his early retirement in June of 2012. Chaplain Keller received a direct commission from the Air National Guard in 1985 which began his 17 year career in Air Combat Command. He was the first Roman Catholic priest in the 127th Wing and First Michigan Air National Guard Chaplain to be promoted to Colonel. He deployed to Italy 1986, Honduras 1988, Germany 1995, Panama, Peru, Columbia 1997, Germany 1998, Saudi Arabia 2002, Pakistan 2003, New Orleans, LA (Katrina) 2005, and Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany 2006. Chaplain Colonel Keller ended his career as the Air National Guard Assistant to the Command Chaplain of Air Mobility Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Colonel Keller was honorably discharged from the Michigan Air National Guard June 30, 2006. Though the years, Rev. Keller was able to combine the rigors of being a parish priest and pastor with the demands of chaplaincy with the Air National Guard. After his retirement from the priesthood in 2012, he married Sandra Abraham on July 8, 2012. Together Bob and Sandy enjoyed traveling many parts of the world until he was diagnosed with brain cancer. His valiant fight ended peacefully on Thursday evening. Bob was an avid reader and was a member of the Federation of Christian Ministries. Bob is survived by his wife, Sandy; his sisters-in-law, Michelle Gariepy (Jack) and Mary Jo Krakowski (Ron); his brother-in-law, Joe Abraham (Julie); seven loving nieces and nephews: Nicole, Suzanne, Joe, Ron, Lauren, Joe and Jaclyn; two grandnieces, Alexis and Chloe; one grandnephew, Billy; and mother-in-law Patricia Abraham. He was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Lottie Keller, father-in-law, Joseph Abraham, and nephew, Michael Krakowski. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. Thursday and 2:00 to 9:00 p.m. Friday at the A. H. Peters Funeral Home, 20705 Mack Avenue at Vernier Road in Grosse Pointe Woods. A scripture service will begin at 7:00 p.m. Friday, presided by Fr. Duane R. Novelly. His body will lie instate at St. Paul of Tarsus Catholic Church, 41300 Romeo Plank, Clinton Township from 9:00 a.m. Saturday until mass begins at 10 am. Fr. Henry Roodbeen will be the celebrant and Fr. Lawrence Pettke will be the homilist. Entombment will follow at Resurrection Cemetery in Clinton Township. In lieu of flowers, memorials to the Hermelin Brain Tumor Center, One Ford Place-5A; Detroit, MI 48202 would be appreciated.

Funeral Home:

A. H. Peters Funeral Home of Grosse Pointe

20705 Mack Avenue

Grosse Pointe Woods, MI

US 48236