Ronald Keith Keller passed away September 7, 2022, and with that, the world lost a first class mechanic and an accomplished storyteller. Born on February 8, 1942 to Mary Margaret Woodby Keller and Kenneth Howard Keller, he learned everything he knew about engines at the knee of his father, whom he described as the best and most patient teacher ever. He loved his dad so much that a picture of him is the first thing you’d see when he opened his wallet. He was preceded in death by both parents and two brothers-in-law.
Ron, or “Ronnie” if you’d known him since he was young, had a fondness for anything with a motor. He was an exceptionally skilled mechanic. A week before his death, he got into his daughter’s car. She started it and he immediately pointed out a “tick”. It had just left the dealership, but when she took it back in, sure enough, there’s an obscure problem on a minute percentage of that model. While living with his daughter and her family, he spent many lazy evenings debating the merits of Chevrolets and Fords with his son-in-law. That argument has still not been settled.
He loved seeing and aggravating his grandchildren while living with his daughter and they knew he always kept Mountain Dew and Little Debbie cakes and was good for at least a $5 when they went to the skating rink.
Blessed with a quick, often sarcastic, sense of humor, he could easily charm anyone he put his mind to charming and infuriate the ones he didn’t. He was a favorite of most, but not all, when he was in the hospital, rehab centers, Waffle House and Hardee’s. He would give you the shirt off his back and sometimes the shirt off someone else’s if you needed it. He had more stories than you could shake a stick at. The challenge was identifying fact and fiction, but he was always entertaining and he had a wide circle of friends who are missing him already.
He is survived by his daughters, Kristin Sands (Lucas), Megan Boring (Shannon), Mary Brown and Amelia Baker (Chris); grandchildren Jordan(Katie), Gracie, Ellie, Quade, Anna, Emily, Jake, Tyra, Haylee, Jase, Mason and Merynn, and one great-grandson, Lincoln. He is also survived by all his sisters, Phyllis (LP), Janice (Wayne), Mary Lynn and Becky and his brother Jerry (Agnes) who has looked out for him for years, brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews as well as his ex-wife and mother of his four daughters, Gwen Beem. Bo Nuchols was a faithful friend whom he loved until the end.
Linda and Larry Patty, his cousin and her husband were life-long friends, and he was living with them at the time of his death but counting the days until he could move to his daughter’s house in Greenback. It won’t be the same without him there.
While he was not attending any church, he was adamant that “I know where I’m going” and could be seen reading his Bible every night when he didn’t know anyone was watching. He knew Scripture and could hold his own in any discussion. In the end, it wasn’t COPD or heart disease that took him, it was losing his sight to the point that he couldn’t drive “Big Red” on his rounds to Hardee’s and Waffle House every day. Thank you to all of the workers there who watched out for him and cared for him and thanks to Megan who is the only one who could convince him to go to the hospital.
A memorial service will be held on September 18 at 2 p.m. at Salem Baptist Church, 4602 Salem Road, Greenback.