Obituary of Virginia L. Keller

KELLER VIRGINIA

Virginia L. “Ginny” Keller, age 91 of Menno, SD passed away Friday, August 25, 2023 at the Menno-Olivet Care Center, Menno, SD.  Funeral services will be 10:30 AM, Saturday, September 2, 2023 at Grace Lutheran Church, Menno, SD with Rev. Morgan Hendershott officiating.  Burial will be in the Menno Cemetery, Menno, SD.  Visitations will be 5 to 7 PM, Friday, September 1, 2023 at Grace Lutheran Church, Menno, SD with a Scripture service at 7:00 PM.  Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the church.  The Aisenbrey-Opsahl-Kostel Memorial Chapel is assisting with the service details.  Online condolences may be sent at: www.opsahl-kostelfuneralhome.com.  Live streaming of Ginny’s service can be found at: https://my.gather.app/remember/virginia-ginny-keller. 

Virginia "Ginny" Lee (Clements) Keller was born on September 2, 1931, to Henry and Viola (Clark) Clements in their family home in Yankton, SD.  She was baptized as an infant at the Methodist Church in Yankton, SD.  She attended Grove Country School through 8^th grade followed by Yankton High School, graduating in 1949.  After graduating high school, Ginny attended and graduated from Sioux Falls Beauty Academy in Sioux Falls, SD in 1951.  She worked at Fantel’s Department Store from 1949-1951 and Fantel’s Beauty Shop from 1952-1955.  Ginny married Edwin Syrovatka on June 2, 1953.  To this union 2 daughters and 1 son were born, Sandra Lee, Roxie Ann and Edwin James. She lived in multiple cities and states over the next several years.

Ginny and her children moved back to Yankton, SD in the Spring of 1969 where she worked at Fantel’s selling women’s sportswear from 1969-1970 and then worked at Dale Electronics until she married Earl Keller on June 7, 1974 at Grace Lutheran Church in Menno, SD. With this marriage two more children, Scott and Corey Keller became a part of her family.  Ginny joined Earl on his farm east of Menno where they lived until he retired from farming in 1993.  Earl and Ginny then moved to Menno where they lived for 20 years before moving to Sioux Falls where she resided for 10 years before moving back to the Menno Olivet Care Center in July 2023.

Ginny loved going to movies and out to eat with her husband, Earl.  Her favorite restaurant was Red Lobster where she always had a lobster tail and baked potato.  She also loved going on trips to various places including visiting seven national parks, seeing the space shuttle launch, Disney World, and Branson. One of her favorite trips was when she and Earl went to California to visit relatives and friends.

Ginny passed away August 25, 2023, at the Menno Olivet Care Center in Menno, SD, having attained the age of 91 years, 11 months and 23 days. She was preceded in death by her husband, Earl Keller, parents, Henry and Viola Clements, siblings Walter Clements, Robert Clements, Donya Deane Clements, Samuel Jay Clements and brother-in-law, Willard Zeeb.  She is survived by children Scott (Di) Keller, Sandy Maaske, Roxie (Ron) Antonio, Corey (JoAnn) Keller and Eddy (Donna) Syrovatka; 14 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren; her sister-in-law, Donna Zeeb; and a special niece, Cindy (Clements) Nelson.