Willard Keller

Willard "Charlie" Keller, 93, Bismarck, died April 21, 2020 at his home. A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, July 17, at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan.

Willard was born on July 18, 1926 in Beulah to Edward and Edna (Heihn) Keller. From ages one to 13, the family lived north of Killdeer before the family returned to Beulah. At age 16 Willard attended NYA in Bismarck to learn how to be a machinist. He then moved to California and worked in a shipyard. Willard was drafted and did basic training in Texas, then onto France, Germany, and Czechoslovakia during World War II.

In 1947 Willard and Betty (Manley) were married. From this union came three girls: Regina, Sandra and Candace.

Willard worked at the State Capital and the Mandan Refinery. He retired from the Bismarck Hospital as Director of Engineering and Maintenance after 37 years.

In 1969 Willard and Freida (Job) married and resided in Bismarck. Freida died in 2014.

Willard loved hunting, fishing, and dancing.

Willard is survived by his daughter; Sandy (Tim) Stroh, Manning; brothers, Bruce (Carol), Bismarck, and  Russell, Bismarck; sister; Verona, Bismarck; three sisters-in-law; five grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; numerous nieces and nephews, and special friend and sister-in-law, Leona McDonald and family, Bismarck.

Willard was preceded in death by his wife, Frieda, parents, daughters, Regina and Candace, brothers, Wallace, Edwin, Jim, Gordon, Douglas, Frank, and sister June.

Memorials are preferred to Sanford Hospice.