Edward J. Keller, 97, 1481 Cranberry Road, St. Henry, died at 12:45 a.m. Oct. 31, 2008, at his residence.

He was born May 9, 1911, in Sharpsburg to Charles and Elizabeth Clune Keller. On April 25, 1942, he married Rita M. Kessens, who died Oct. 3, 2003.

Surviving are five sons, John (Jean), McCartyville, Dick (Marge), St. Henry, Tom (Ruth), New Bremen, Jerry (Rita), New Bremen and Tony (Sue Ann), Warren; six daughters, Mary Ann Lajcik, Thousand Oaks, Calif., Betty (Bob) Kates, Dayton, Karen (Tom) Kovac, Fresno, Calif., Norma (Dave) Will, Fort Recovery, Margie (Rick) Vagedes, Bloomington, Ind., Ruth (Gene) Foster, Casa Grande, Ariz.; a son-in-law, Jim (Wendy) Lange, Chicago, Ill.; three brothers, Alvin , Fort Recovery, Ray (Rita), Dayton, and Paul, Fort Recovery; two sisters, Mildred Bolton, Dayton, and Mary (Bill) Woeste, Coldwater; 37 grandchildren and 53 great-grandchildren.

Deceased is a daughter, Rosella Lange; a son-in-law, Tom Lajcik; two brothers, Bill and Bob; a sister, Dorothy Engle; one grandchild and one great-grandchild.

He was an employee of the former Avco New Idea Plant, Coldwater, and was a U.S. Army veteran of World War II. He was a member of the Fort Recovery American Legion, past trustee of the Knights of St. John, Maria Stein, and member of St. Francis Catholic Church, Cranberry Prairie.

A funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at the church, the Rev. Tom Hemm officiating. Burial, with complete military services, will follow in the church cemetery.

Calling is 2-8 p.m. Monday and 9-10 a.m. Tuesday at Hogenkamp Funeral Home, St. Henry.