Catherine Charlene (Statz) Keller, age 81, of San Antonio, passed away peacefully at her home on Thursday, October 25, 2018. Cathy was born on June 30, 1937 to the late George and Clara Josephine (Zander) Statz in Martinsville, Wisconsin. She graduated with honors from Sun Prairie High School in 1956.
Cathy married the late Donald J. Keller on February 23, 1957. During their 26 years of marriage, Don and Cathy had ten children. Cathy worked part-time jobs in their early marriage. One of her favorite jobs was working for the Wisconsin Cheeseman during the Christmas rush, reading the addresses for the shipping labels. She stayed home raising her children for many years and enjoyed “keeping” her house and cooking for her large family. Her stuffing recipe was legendary. Years later, she started her career as an administrative assistant. Cathy had a flair for style and was always dressed to the nines! She began working at the Army Residence Community Healthcare Center when it opened on January 12, 1987. She worked there until she retired in 2014, just after her 77th Birthday.
Cathy enjoyed gardening, keeping her house spic and span, spending time with family and friends and watching her shows. But her first love was dancing. When they were young, she and Don went dancing “every Saturday night” and were quite the pair on the dance floor. In her later years, she loved teaching her children the Fox Trot and Polkas. No worries if you couldn’t get the beat because she always would lead and swing you around the dance floor, so you better keep up! For her 80th and 81st birthdays, she went dancing with her children, their spouses and grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her sons, Chuck and Greg, and daughter, Debbie (Keller) Brock; brothers, Danny and Donnie, her sister Phyllis, and infant sister, sisters-in-law Terry and Beverly Statz, Lois Keller and brother-in-law, Wendall Stull.
Cathy is survived by her children: Jeff (Patty), Nancy, Donnie, Patty (Ken) Brown, Brian, Elle (Tim) Saunders, and Brad (girlfriend Anna Wright); son-in-law Jeff Brock, and daughter-in-law Tina Tibbitts; grandchildren: Rachel and Jessica Brock, Abbey (Erich) Castalia, Chris and Kevin Brown, Kacey (Eric) Helt, Kyle and Karly Keller, Adam (Jill), Nic, Zac, and Colton Saunders, Tailyn Keller, Layken and Maxon Keller; and great grandsons Isaiah Brock and Mason Helt.
She is further survived by her siblings, Tom, Rich (Veronica), Jim (Kathy), and Roger (Betty); her brothers and sisters in-law, Ivan Frank, Shirley Statz, Lillian Stull, Richard Keller, Fran (Richard) Paulson; and numerous nieces and nephews and grand-nieces and grand-nephews.
The past few years, Cathy’s advice to young people, especially newlywed couples was “be kind to one another.” Cathy knew life was precious. She ended every text and Facebook post with “love you.”
We will miss you so much and we love you too, Mom!
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