Keith James Keller

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Nature’s first green is gold,

Her hardest hue to hold.

Her early leaf’s a flower;

But only so an hour.

Then leaf subsides to leaf.

So Eden sank to grief,

So dawn goes down to day.

Nothing gold can stay.

~ Robert Frost

Keith was gold and he lived as if life itself was gold. It sounds polarizing given his love of wood, pottery, glass, and stone, but he carried the brightest, warmest shine and his enthusiasm for living a vibrant life was second to none.

Keith was the definition of lead by example. He was kind, considerate, and thoughtful. He was rarely angry (unless Nathan broke the glass of his truck topper when practicing golf) and never rude. He made sure no one’s glass was ever empty at social gatherings, serving as the bartender and muddling up the best Old-Fashioneds, or known to others as, “Whiskey Keith”, for bringing a fancy bottle to share at large celebrations. He valued his relationships more than anything, making sure that each connection was given his time and energy. He rekindled childhood friendships with poker Tuesdays, maintained decades of friendships with coworkers that turned into friends, and joined new endeavors that made space for more groups of friends. He was a great listener and was always curious about how others were doing and what they were up to in their lives. He was a beloved son, the best brother anyone could ask for, a playful uncle and great-uncle, and so much more to so many people, but most of all, an amazing dad and husband.

Keith was the “fun” parent. He managed the morning duties of getting Nathan and Jameson off to school and made even the dullest of routines exciting, like cutting breakfast items into puzzle pieces and sharing and teaching his best dad-jokes. He crafted elaborate birthday donut cakes, was a scout leader, and bestowed his love of outdoor activities onto his sons.

Keith was a devoted husband. What began as a set up with the “least objectionable of the friends”, Sheryl found that she enjoyed Keith’s artistic, creative and sincere personality. He shared his adventurous spirit with her and encouraged her to explore hers. Early into their relationship, Keith patiently taught Sheryl how to downhill ski, spending hours on the bunny hill, and that is when Sheryl realized he was “not like the other guys”. A simple realization all those years ago, culminated into a beautiful 44 year marriage.

Always up for an adventure, Keith thrived in the outdoors and he dabbled in countless outdoor activities. Ice skating in his youth with his sister, to spending hours swimming, wind surfing, jet skiing, and biking. He fostered a deep love for skiing, downhill or cross-country, that earned him the “best skier” title. No matter the terrain, or whether it was fresh powder or junk snow, Keith was up for it and no one could out ski him. His love for skiing led him to begin his career at The Lift/White Wolf where even though it was not life-long, his coworkers that became friends were. Keith also became an avid sailor and boater. He earned his charter license and shared adventures sailing the Apostle Islands and captaining those trips with quiet confidence. Then came the speed boat, where he pulled the boys on tubes, up to four at a time, for the biggest thrill. Summers were spent putting around on Lake Minnetonka, house-snooping and partying with his friends and family.

He valued experiences and when he wasn’t actively pursuing adventures at home, he was out exploring the world with Sheryl, his boys, and other family and friends. Just to name a few highlights: he visited a great deal of National Parks and States including family in Rhode Island; travelled to Australia and saw his niece get married; took a river boat cruise up the Rhine River in Europe; sipped whiskey in Ireland; white water rafted and zip-lined in Costa Rica and lost his shoes temporarily to a sea lion in the Galapagos.

Keith was also a man of numerous creative pursuits with ductile talents that shifted as each new passion arose. What started as a giant peace sign sculpture out of snow and snow mazes that he, his sister, Karla, and the neighborhood kids played in, turned into pottery and glass, works that have littered many of our shelves and bookcases, and turned his and Sheryl’s basement into a pottery studio for a period of time. Then there was the decades of stone work that he not only fabricated in his own home, but turned into a career with MST and Dynamic Edge. There was an era of woodworking, where he constructed coffee tables, bass guitars and even violins, that followed years of whittling small intricate animals, canes and other objects around campfires. Keith never boasted about his talents, he simply loved living his life mastering anything he found interesting and challenging, just wanting to create. And when his own abilities changed direction, Keith pivoted and adapted by finding new ways to explore his creative spirit through Estate Sales, hunting for other’s art and interests that spoke to him. This included collecting an impressive 1000+ vinyl catalog and some fancy stereo equipment to listen to it all.

Keith was courageous. Life threw a lot at him, diagnosed with cancer twice following a 28 year battle with Parkinson’s, he took it all without complaints. In fact, he often made the situation lighthearted with some well placed wit and while going through Parkinson’s tried out new approaches for managing his symptoms like joining Rock Steady Boxing. How very Keith to find another new interest and a wonderful group of friends in the midst of his struggles.

Keith was a steady, even presence with a generous and welcoming heart to all those that knew him, but nothing gold can stay.