Shirley Ruth (Miller) Keller

Born at home on March 7, 1935, Shirley was the first child of Charles and Ruth Miller. She was raised alongside her younger sister Barbara and, later, her younger brother Charles. When Shirley was fourteen years old, another sister, Alyce, arrived to complete the happy family. Growing up in small towns in Pennsylvania (Mount Carmel, Surveyor, and Clearfield), Shirley enjoyed reading mystery novels, visiting Hershey Park, and going to the movies. In high school, she wore long poodle skirts and enjoyed going to the diner or bowling with friends. She also participated in Chorus, the Pep Club, and Drama Club - even taking the lead in Our Miss Brooks her senior year!

After graduating, Shirley worked as a secretary until she moved to Philadelphia in 1960, where she trained as an Assistant In Deaconess Service for the Lutheran Church. It was there that she met the love of her life, Chuck Keller! After smiling at one another across the loft while rehearsing with the church choir, Chuck eventually worked up the courage to offer Shirley a ride home following rehearsal. By December of that same year, Chuck proposed while the two were decorating for Christmas, handing her a lovely gold ornament with a diamond ring attached! That same special ornament was the first to be placed on the Christmas tree from that year forward.

Charles Bartle Keller and Shirley Ruth Miller were married on August 26, 1961, in Bethany Lutheran Church in Pennsylvania. Their first child, Charles (Chip, later Chuck) Bartle Keller Jr. (due on June 26) was born on July 11, 1963. Not quite two years later, they welcomed another son, Curtis (Curt) Paul Keller, on May 26, 1965. The two boys kept Shirley busy but she loved every second of her time at home with her babies!

In 1970, the family moved to Salt Lake City, Utah. By Autumn of the following year, a “surprise” addition completed the little family: Cynthia (Cyndy) Lynne Keller, born October 1, 1971, at 1:26 p.m. Soon after, Shirley started working part-time, using her excellent sewing skills to teach classes and run fashion shows for the local fabric store, Stretch & Sew. Shirley enjoyed making clothes for her growing family, as well as staying active with the church choir and Ladies’ groups. When Cyndy started school, Shirley took a full-time job as a secretary, working for Merrill Lynch in downtown Salt Lake City. The family went camping every summer, creating many treasured memories around the campfire. Chuck and Shirley both enjoyed the great outdoors and many family trips were made to visit National Parks over the years, including Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and the Grand Canyon.

In 1983, with Curt having graduated high school and enlisted in the US Marine Corps, the rest of the family moved to Shoreview, Minnesota. Shirley worked for Dain Bosworth, another stock brokerage in Minneapolis. Shirley and Chuck’s first grandchild, Brittany Ann Keller, was born in 1985 to Curt and his wife, Dawnell. The whole family celebrated together in Minnesota at Brittany’s baptism!

The frigid winters and humid summers were not Shirley’s “cup of tea,” so she was relieved to move to sunny California just four years later. Settling in Fremont, she found a lovely group of friends at Christ the King Lutheran Church - ladies she held very dear for the rest of her life! A second granddaughter, Amanda Paige Keller, arrived on March 30, 1990, and Shirley was thrilled to get to visit just weeks after she was born.

Her first two grandchildren were born out of state, while Shirley was still working full-time, but once she retired on her 62nd birthday, she threw herself into the role of being a Grammy! She welcomed her young granddaughters from Utah to spend the summers with her in California. They had a great time baking, playing dress-up, having tea parties, and sight-seeing. Chuck and Shirley also made several trips across the country to visit family and friends, including several trips a year into Utah, visiting Curt & Dawnell and family, as well as Chip & his wife, Jenny, who also ended up settling in Utah. Playing host for family and friends that came to California was also a special joy for Shirley - she loved sharing favorite day-trips to Monterey, Yosemite, San Francisco, and Napa Valley.

Cyndy and her husband Steve Loyd welcomed Nicholas Ryan Loyd, the first grandson for Shirley & Chuck, in April of 1997. When Chuck retired in 1999, the couple moved to Antioch, California, just down the

street from Cyndy & Steve’s family! This proved to be quite convenient, especially once the rest of the grandchildren joined the family: Sarah Ashley Loyd in December of 1999, Savannah Grace Loyd in June of 2003, and Owen Alexander Loyd in August of 2006. Granddaughter Brittany married Brian Patterson in 2009, eventually adding two great-grandchildren to the brood: Raegan Mae Patterson (March 2011) & Emilia Grace Patterson (July 2013), giving Shirley a new title: “Super Grammy”! She welcomed each and every new family member with open arms, accepting them immediately as a beloved member of the family. Even before Sarah and Amy proposed to one another in 2022, Grammy had already added Amy to her ever-expanding heart!

Shirley loved carrying on family traditions such as cooking homemade donuts for “Faust Nacht”, making peanut butter chocolate Easter eggs from scratch, and decorating “cut-out” Christmas cookies with every color sprinkle imaginable! She continued to share these annual customs with her grandchildren (and some with her great-grandchildren too!), just as she had done with her own children. Making her delicious homemade chicken noodle soup, Red Velvet Cake, and her famous peanut butter icing became beloved traditions as well, especially for her grandchildren. She attended every event she possibly could - from plays and dance recitals, to school celebrations and Scout ceremonies - we could always count on Grammy to be there taking tons of photos and cheering louder than anyone else in the crowd!

In September of 2022, Shirley and Chuck settled into an Assisted Living facility, TreVista in Antioch. They continued as loyal members of Saint John’s Lutheran Church, singing with the church choir, as well as attending and participating in services year-round. They also joined the community at TreVista, making friends with other residents and being crowned King & Queen of Valentines in 2023! When Chuck passed away in May of 2023, Shirley was surrounded by friends and caregivers who mourned right along with her. She remained active with church (Choir and Bible Studies), her lovely Red Hat friends, and her “Lunch Bunch” friends from Fremont. She also kept in touch with beloved family spread throughout the country with frequent FaceTime calls, emails, texts, and phone calls. She even figured out how to take pictures on her computer as treasured mementos of their visits! And while she couldn’t be present for Amanda’s wedding to Andrew Lane this June, she was there in spirit - and she loved seeing all of the beautiful photos!

Shirley was “famous” throughout her family and friends for her love of taking lots and lots of pictures! So many pictures!! She never missed a chance to send a greeting card, complete with added exclamation points and underlined phrases. Her detailed Christmas letters were another beloved tradition that reached beyond the family, sharing her faith, joy, and enthusiasm for life with everyone she loved.

You may have noticed a few seemingly random mentions of the number 26 throughout this, but the number ended up being a significant one for Shirley. She was twenty-six years old when she got married on the 26th of August. All three of her children had a 26 associated with their births. She often talked about how important the number was for her, always including it in her lucky lottery numbers. In the end, Shirley passed on the 26th of September. She would have found it extraordinary that her beautiful, joy-filled life ended peacefully on the twenty-sixth day of the month.

Shirley was the sweetest, most accepting person, who shared her bright spirit with everyone around her. Fiercely loyal, we all took comfort in knowing we always had her support. Her presence in our lives was an exceptional gift! Her beautiful smile, her infectious laugh, and her kind spirit will forever be missed. We will love her with all our hearts, always.

A Celebration of Life Service for Shirley will be held on Saturday, October 25, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. St. John’s Lutheran Church 1360 E Tregallas Road Antioch, CA 94509. A gathering with light snacks will follow in the fellowship hall

We hope to livestream the service on zoom for those who are unable to attend.

Please visit https://stjohnsantioch.org/ for more information or contact Cyndy Loyd

Donations in memory of Shirley may be made to St. John’s Lutheran Church 1360 E Tregallas Road Antioch, CA 94509