Wilma Keller

Wilma Leone (Lahre) Keller, age 96, of Savanna, Illinois, departed this life Saturday, February 10, 2007, at the Rockford Memorial Hospital, Rockford, Illinois after a short illness. A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, February 14, 2007 at the Law-Jones Funeral Home in Savanna, Illinois. Pastor Michael Jones of York Baptist Church, Thomson, Illinois, will officiate. Burial will be in Savanna Township Cemetery, Savanna. Friends may call from 10:00 a.m. until the time of service, at Law Jones Funeral Home, Savanna, Illinois. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to First United Methodist Church, Savanna, Illinois or the Rockford Rescue Mission, P. O. Box 1958, Rockford, Illinois 61110. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.lawjonesfuneralhome.com .
Wilma was born on March 29, 1910, in Savanna, Illinois, she was the daughter of William and Sue Ann (Morgan) Lahre. She attended Savanna schools through her third year of High School. Wilma was a homemaker for parents, brother and nephew. She enjoyed sewing, reading and loved the garden.
At the age of fifty-five, on September 24, 1965 Wilma was married to Delbert H. Keller after a seventeen-year courtship. Delbert died on August 12, 1982.
She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Savanna and was involved in Church Circles during her younger years.
After an illness in 1992, she moved to Rockford and lived for almost fifteen years with nephew Joe Cruden and wife, Sherry (Mickelson) Cruden, both formerly of Savanna. She enjoyed her family and spent much time, because of where she lived, with Scott and Lori, Trevor and Dianna, Don and Colette and the seven grandchildren of Joe and Sherry. She had lots of stories to tell and her memory was very sharp. If you needed a name, date, etc. she could usually tell you. She didn’t get out much, but enjoyed talking to and praying for everyone. She was a loving and a very giving person and will be greatly missed. Every night before bedtime she would say, “I love you all!”
Wilma is survived by one sister, Ruth (Lester) Eden of Rock Falls, Illinois; two brothers in-law Alvin Coates, Dubuque, Iowa and Oscar Keller, Madison, Wisconsin; five nephews; Carl (Barbara) Engaldo, Bill (Betty) Engaldo, Carl David (Linda) Lahre, Terry (Brenda) Coates, Joe (Sherry) Cruden; one niece Darlene (Thomas) “Rocky” Danler, and son Matthew; a host of great nephews and nieces, and great-great nephews and nieces; family and friends too numerous to mention. Please accept our apologies for names not mentioned.
Wilma is predeceased by parents; grandparents; husband Delbert; sisters; Mildred Engaldo and Gladys Coates; brothers, Carl J. Lahre and Clyde T. Lahre, and sister-in-law Caroline Keller.