Barbara Keller

Barbara Joan Keller, 90, of Chiefland, Florida, passed away July 26, 2023. She was born October 3, 1932, in Frostproof, Florida, the fourth of William Leroy Meyer and Mary Lillie Brackin Meyer's five children. Joan grew up in Frostproof. She had health problems in her teens, and spent long stretches of time bedridden from recurring bouts of rheumatic fever. She attended school when she was healthy, was active in the Glee Club, and was an enthusiastic Bullpup cheerleader. She graduated from Frostproof High School in 1950, then eloped to Georgia a few months later with Bill Keller. Joan spent her working life in the Tampa area. Her major occupations included being a wife and mother of two, but her paying job was Engineer Tech with the State of Florida Department of Transportation. She retired from the state when she turned 62 – oh, happy day! After retiring, Joan and Bill moved to Arizona. They explored and panned for gold, and had the best multi-year vacation of their life, before returning to Florida in the year 2000. They settled down in Chiefland, enjoying line dancing, making new friends, and fishing. She became a member of Long Pond Baptist Church in Chiefland, Florida. Joan was preceded in death by her husband of 72 years, William “Bill” Eugene Keller, her son, William “Billy” Eugene Keller II, by her brother, Ernest Leroy Meyer, her sisters, Evelyn Irene Ward and Mary Juanita Panzarella. She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Sherry Keller and Alan Bailey, of Tampa, Florida; two grandchildren, Miranda Bailey, of Tacoma, Washington, and Russell Bailey, of Bradenton, Florida; great granddaughter, Juniper Jean Pearl, of Tacoma, Washington; her sister, Lillian Shirley Birge, of Haines City, Florida, sisters-in-law, Alice Keller of Deltona, Florida, Joyce Keller of Ruskin, Florida, and Carol Anderson of McBain, Michigan; by many nieces, one nephew, and by her beloved cats, Doofus and Simon. Funeral service for Joan will be held at 2:00PM Wednesday, August 2, 2023 at the Rick Gooding Funeral Home in Chiefland, Florida with Pastor Chuck Cook officiating. Interment will follow at the Chiefland Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Arrangements have been placed under the care of the Rick Gooding Funeral Homes Chiefland Chapel, with locations in Cross City 352-498-5400 and Chiefland 352-493-0050. Please sign the online guest book at rickgoodingfuneralhomes.com

Barbara Keller

October 3, 1932 - July 26, 2023