Patricia A. (Walsh) Keller 1930 - 2018

WALSH, KELLER, CHOQUETTE

Posted By: Connie Swearingen -Volunteer (email)
Date: 11/12/2018 at 16:37:44

Sioux City Journal
23 October 2018

Sioux City

Patricia A. (Walsh) Keller, 88, of Sioux City, died after a brief illness Sunday, Oct. 21, 2018. She was surrounded at the time of her death by three of her seven children.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Holy Cross Parish, St. Michael's Center. Visitation will be from 3:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, with a rosary at 4 p.m. and a parish vigil service at 7 p.m., at Christy-Smith Funeral Home -- Larkin Chapel (2320 Outer Drive North). Private family burial will take place at a later date at Calvary Cemetery. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.christysmith.com.

Patricia was born on Feb. 27, 1930, to James Walsh and Cora (Choquette) Walsh. She was a lifelong resident of Sioux City. She was a graduate of Cathedral High School, and attended Briar Cliff University, where she received a teacher's certificate. She taught primary grades in Holstein, Iowa, and Hunt School in Sioux City.

She married Richard (Dick) E. Keller on Nov. 22, 1952, and they had seven children. While raising a family, Patricia, known as Patsy or Pat, remained an active volunteer for the March of Dimes and American Heart Association. She was an active member of St. Michael's Catholic Parish. Patricia returned to work at Westwood Nursing Home, where she held the position of activity coordinator for 21 years. During her successful career there she started a Westwood newsletter after receiving a grant from Gateway for a new computer. Patricia had many passions in life. She was a voracious reader of all written genres of print. She attended writing and art classes at the senior center and was a frequent borrower from the Sioux City Library. She was an avid swimmer, golfer, traveler and moviegoer. She traveled to over 35 states and seven foreign countries.

She is survived by two brothers, James (Lois) Walsh and Michael (Mary) Walsh of Sioux City; seven children, Andy Keller, Phil Keller, Joan Keller and Sister Theresa Keller FSPA of Sioux City, Michelle (Don) Cox of Alleman, Iowa, Mary Keller of Washington, Mo., and Richard Keller of Iowa City, Iowa; 10 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Patricia was preceded in death by her husband, Dick; and her parents, Cora and James Walsh.