Eric Stephen Keller, was born on April 14, 1951, in Los Angeles CA when his parents were attending college there, and passed away on September 28, 2023 in Scottsdale, AZ at the age of 72, after a very difficult 5 week hospital stay.
Eric was the oldest of 7 children, and was a dear, wonderful person, who loved exploring, mild hiking, and camping in his younger years. His great loves were Pipe Organs and classical music, and he once had the priceless opportunity to play the Tabernacle Organ on Temple Square in Salt Lake City. He also loved to travel and was able to see and experience this beautiful world. His life was spent enjoying music, attending concerts and concertos all over the world, and he had a great talent for directing and composing as well as playing the pipe organ and piano.
Eric was adamant about recycling, protecting natural resources, and was very frugal. He was a valiant member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and had a strong testimony of his Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. If one truly got to know him, and saw past his disabilities and challenges, they learned to love his intellect, his amazing memory and ability to recall dates, events and places, and learned to appreciate his personality, his character and attributes, his great knowledge of music and history, and his passion for being a teacher to children with special needs.
Eric was preceded in death by his parents; Neal Stephen Keller and Gaynor Louise Woodland Keller, his dear partner Franc deWeeger, his sister Lucinda Keller Yost and brother-in-law Bob Yost. Also, by his nephew Richard N. Worthen, and nieces Cassie Keller and Traci Yost, a great niece; Gracie and a great nephew; Reid. He is survived by his sisters Stephany Keller Worthen and Kristina Keller-Wilczek, and his younger brothers Mark, Wallace and Matthew Keller and numerous nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews whom he cherished.
He will be sorely missed and dearly remembered as our dear brother, uncle, cousin, friend, and partner who had a gracious & loving heart of gold, lived in gratitude for all his blessings, and who loved his family & friends dearly. His caring demeanor and kind ways will be sorely missed and forever remembered.
Memorial details:
Eric’s Funeral Service will be held on Friday November 10th at 1:00 pm at the Ahwatukee Groves Ward
1050 W. Grove Pkwy, Tempe, AZ 85283
His Burial will be held in Pine AZ
Arrangements by Bunker’s Garden Chapel, www.bunkerfuneral.com. Should this obituary appear anywhere but bunkerfuneral.com, please check our website for accurate details and service information.
I will deeply miss my friend, my movie buddy.
Graduation of any kind is hard on those being left as the graduate moves on. Graduation from mortality seems like a more permanent separation but signals the wonderful success of diligent student receiving a diploma for work well done as it was with Eric. We send our condolences to those left but congratulate Eric as he moves to a life without those handicaps that he nobly faced. I can only imagine the music he will both enjoy and create in such magnificent spirit realms.
Eric has been a patient of mine since 1986. I have enjoyed working with him over the many years and enjoyed talking about his music, organ playing and how it related to hearing aid technology as he wore hearing aids for most of his life. What a wonderful human being Eric was, and I know he will be missed.
My Dearest Eric, gone way too soon. Your insurmountable faith, friendship, courage, fortitude, positivity, amazing talents & intellect, love for life & family will always be remembered. We talked most every day for over 15 years & never hung up without telling each other “I love you”. You are sorely missed & NEVER forgotten!!!!