Laurel Andrew Keller

Laurel Andrew Keller, age 82, passed away Monday September 30, 2019 at Mayflower Homes, Grinnell. Funeral Services: 10:30 am, Friday, October 4, 2019 at Madison Church of Christ, rural Brooklyn with Pastor Joel Nielsen and Rev. John Epperson officiating. Burial will be at Brooklyn Memorial Cemetery, Brooklyn. Visitation: 9:30 am until service time, Friday, October 4, 2019 at Madison Church of Christ, rural Brooklyn. A memorial fund has been established. Kloster Funeral Home, Brooklyn, is assisting the family with arrangements.

Laurel Andrew Keller was born February 5, 1937 in Grinnell, Iowa the son of Pete and Mabel Shadel Keller. He was raised on a century family farm and after marriage he lived on another family century farm in Madison Township near Brooklyn Iowa. Laurel attended Madison #9 School and later attended Brooklyn Public School graduating with the class of 1954. As a youth Laurel was a member of both 4-H and FFA.

On September 26, 1959 he married A. Marie Wiley at the Madison Church of Christ, where he was a Trustee for many years. The family operated grain and livestock farms, over the years livestock included milk cows, stock cows, and hogs. They are the parents of three children Candace, David and Roger.

Laurel’s passions in life were caring for his family and the farm. He worked hard all of his life and was born to farm. He was proud to call himself a farmer no matter how hard the work, how long the day, or how big the challenge. He was there to fulfill his responsibility to the land and the animals he tended. He also loved working on his equipment. Laurel enjoyed taking a tractor to many a tractor pull. He also restored three of his Case tractors, a 570, 930 and Black Knight. Laurel was a 50+ year member of the Farm Bureau and was in the Army Reserves for six years.

Survivors include his wife Marie; a daughter, Candace (Dale) Griffith of Brooklyn, Iowa; sons, David (Melinda) Keller of Ames, Iowa; and Roger (Sue) Keller of Marion, Iowa. Five grandchildren; Sarah (Andrew) Kloppenburg, Scott Griffith, Stephanie Keller and fiancé David Stagg, Nicholas Keller and Sierra Gay, and Noah Keller. Three great grandchildren; Nathan, Abbigail and Lauren Kloppenburg. One sister, Virginia Gardner of Lombard, IL.

Laurel was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Lorene Archer and Wanda Stirniman.

Laurel was under the care of Hospice Grinnell Regional Medical Center.