As the hero of our family, his superpowers included taking great care of others, embodying patience in the face of challenges, understanding numbers and math, and going above and beyond for those he loved. Rick was born the first of six children on November 9, 1951 in Enid, Oklahoma, to Ralph and Jean Keller. He traveled the world as an “Air Force brat” and graduated from high school in Nuremberg, Germany, (though he almost missed his graduation attending a concert of a little-then-known band called The Who). Back in the States, Rick attended Missouri Southern State University earning his degree in math and an EMT certification. He met the love of his life, Betty, when she came into the ER with a broken finger her prom date had shut in a car door. Rick and Betty married in 1976, and had their first daughter, Daryl, within the year. They were blessed with another daughter, Alison, several years later while living in Carthage MO. Eventually, Rick moved all his girls to Kansas City to put his skills and energies toward working for the start-up company he helped launch with Jay Fitch. For over thirty years, his work with Fitch & Associates, LLC as an emergency medical consultant, took him all over the United States and occasionally out of the country to improve emergency medicine practices. Despite working hard, travelling often, and collaborating on emergency medicine textbook publications, Rick spent every other moment with his family. Daryl and Ali remember him as a steadfast supporter of all their hair-brained ideas and impulsive decisions as well as a dad who was always in their corner. Between his travels, he aided his daughters (and later, his grandchildren) with math homework, volunteered to assist with school functions, and helped his girls consistently construct the coolest science experiments. Betty can’t quite imagine life without him as he was her rock, her love, and her partner in all the good and tough things life has to offer. Early in their nearly 43 years of marriage, they enjoyed live music, camping with friends, and canoeing Missouri’s rivers. Later, they looked forward to vacationing together anywhere with a beach. During his short-lived retirement, Rick enjoyed being available to all of us who needed him, as well as the freedom to pursue his hobbies. He was devoted to his mom and looked forward to meeting with her every Wednesday for lunch. He also joined his buddies every Saturday morning for a diner breakfast. Rick was a season ticket-holder of the Kansas City Chiefs for thirty-one years, a dedicated Royals fan, an ardent reader of best-selling books, a closet-photographer of nature and meaningful moments, an amateur birdwatcher, a chef-extraordinaire in training, and the best Papa to his six grandchildren--Not to mention best dad, husband, son, and brother.
Rick was preceded in death by his father, Ralph Keller.
He is survived by those who will miss him greatly: Jean (his mother), Betty (his wife), Daryl and Alison (his daughters), Trey (his son-in-law), Jeanna (his sister), Steve, David, Kris, and Kevin (his brothers), Curt and Eric (his nephews), Haley (his niece), his many cousins, friends, and all of his grandchildren (Aidyn, Madison, Beyla, Kendall, Oaklyn, and Cypress).
Memorial donations may be sent to Children’s Mercy Hospital or St. Jude’s Research Hospital.
Please join us for a Celebration of Life Reception at White Chapel Funeral Home and Cemetery at 1 pm on Sunday October 20th. The Chapel is located at 6600 NE Antioch Rd. Gladstone, MO 64119
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Children's Mercy Hospital
St. Jude's Research Hospital
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