James Wilhelm Keller

James Wilhelm Keller was born June 23, 1940 to Ecil Anna Vivian Barbee and Benjamin Keller in Cody.

He attended Elementary School in Thermopolis and High School in Cody.

On Dec.13, 1959, he enlisted in the Army and served with the Second Armored Calvary division as a tank commander. He was stationed in Germany. He remembered being on the German-Russia border with 30 U.S. Patton tanks facing a greater amount of Russian Panther tanks, possibly about to go to war and only having one pack of cigarettes.

After his honorable discharge and return from the Army, he met his first beloved companion Beverley Jean Renner. They married Dec. 30 1963. They had two children, Benjamin H Keller and Angela C Keller. Jim and Beverley moved about the state of Wyoming on various road and bridge construction projects, including projects in Yellowstone National Park. Jim and Beverley settled down in Green River, where he worked for Jim Bridger Power Plant. He was a member of the Sweetwater County Alert Squad, was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout leader and was a great mentor to many. After his divorce with Beverley, he moved to Ranchester, where he worked for Big Horn Coal. It was there he met and married his second beloved companion, Loretta G. Wilson. Jim was a UMWA member and a Member of the Operating Engineers. After the strike at Big Horn Coal and the elimination of work force, he took a position with UMWA as a union organizer and helped to secure safety and benefits for many people in this industry to this day. He further worked for TIC alongside his son, and unbeknownst at the time, his future son in law.

He suffered a work related injury in 2001 which left him disabled and he retired at that time as a world class crane operator of the highest accolades. He was deservingly very proud of that; he never failed to impress anyone with his precision and detail in any regard.

Jim enjoyed riding his ATV, having the Big Horn Mountains as his back yard, and many hobbies including fine scale modeling of military vehicles and aircraft, model railroad building, oil painting, carpentry and he was an avid reader of science fiction and history.

He always had a fun story, historical knowledge or joke to share and brought many smiles to many people.

He was preceded in death by his parents Benjamin and Ecil Anna Vivian Keller, and eight of his nine aunts and uncles spread from Oregon to North Dakota.

He is survived by all four of his siblings: Larry (Bernadene–Bernie) Keller of Lyman, Elizabeth (Chris) Voth of Cody, Phillip (Martha) Keller of Riverton, Terry (Nadine) Keller of Casper. His children Benjamin Hoover Keller of Dayton, Angela Camille Keller (Robert) Sanchez of Maricopa, Ariz., along with grandchildren Brooke Camille (Joey) Brown, Patrick (Karri) Keller, Keith Reau Jr., Larissa Keller, Wade Reau also survive.

He has five great-grandchildren and many beloved nieces and nephews.

The celebration of his life and funeral services will be at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Cody Saturday at 10 a.m. Graveside services will follow at Riverside Cemetery with military honors.

A luncheon will follow at Christ the King Lutheran Church to share great memories with family and friends at noon.

An online memorial is available at http://www.ballardfh.com.