George William Bill Keller, Jr.

GEORGE WILLIAM "BILL" KELLER, JR. -- OBITUARY George William "Bill" Keller, Jr., 82, of Yucaipa, passed away Tuesday, February 24, 2015 at 8:40 pm at Redlands Community Hospital after four weeks of illness. Although Mr. Keller had been in declining health for 18 months, it was only in the past few weeks that his situation became critical. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Margaret A. Keller, of Yucaipa, and two sons, Garrett W. Keller, of Palm Springs; and Garth D. Keller, of Yucaipa; three grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; a sister, Mary A. Green, of Visalia, CA; and a host of nieces and nephews. Mr. Keller was the son of Dr. George William Keller and Helen Louise Gibson Keller (later Morse) and was born in September 1932, in Pomona, CA. His early education was in the Pomona Valley, firstly at The Norton School in Claremont, CA, and then on to high school at Thacher Prep in Ojai, CA. Before continuing his higher education, he spent four years in the U.S. Navy serving with the Sea Bees, and spending two of those years stationed in (what was then called) French Morocco. Then, it was on to a B.A. degree in Psychology from L.A. State College (now C.S.U.L.A.) and his Teaching Credential from LaVerne College (now University of LaVerne). In June of 1957 he married Miss Margaret A. Mansfield, in LaVerne, CA; Mr. and Mrs. Keller celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary on June 30, 2007 with a reception celebration at home. His first five years of teaching were with the Charter Oak School District in Covina, CA; and from September 1966 to June 1999 he was a teacher with the Yucaipa Joint Unified School District, primarily at the Yucaipa Intermediate School, where, for many years, he ran what was known as The Learning Center, chiefly responsible for improving the basic skills of all Yucaipa Valley 6th Graders. Mr. Keller was a founding member of the Calimesa Breakfast Lions Club, and, by default, through the activities of his wife and sons, the Yucaipa Triple Falls Water Co.; Cub Scouts of America; 4-H; Yucaipa Valley Riding Club; and Soroptimists, International, and others. At the request of the family, there will be no funeral service. Emmerson Bartlett Memorial Chapel in charge of arrangements. The family also politely requested no floral tributes; Mr. Keller preferred that individuals wishing to donate should set aside money for his or her children's or grandchildren's college funds -- or, if so inclined, a donation in his memory to Yucaipa Valley Animal Placement Society, or your local animal shelter.