Dr. H. Keller Jr. - Fairfield

Dr. John H. Keller, Jr. Funeral services were held Sunday, August 26 in Fairfield for long-time Fairfield physician Dr. John H. Keller, Jr., 85, who died Friday, August 24 at the hospital in Fairfield. Dr. Keller was born June 18, 1927 in Centerville, the only child of John Henry Keller, Sr. and Lola Floyd Keller. He attended school in Centerville, graduating as salutatorian in 1944. He attended Sam Houston State Teachers College for a year, then joined the U.S. Army in April of 1946. He served in the Adjutant General Corps and was stationed at Camp Lee, Virginia; Fort Oglethorp, Georgia; and Fort Schafter, Hawaii. After he was discharged in May of 1947, he returned to Sam Houston and graduated in August of 1949 with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry. In September 1949, he entered Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. He graduated in June of 1953 and interned at Jeff Davis and Veterans Administration hospitals in Houston. Dr. Keller joined a private practice in Corsicana for a brief time before being invited to take over the Fairfield practice of Dr. John Innis in June of 1955. His office was located on the southwest corner of the courthouse square. In January of 1958, he formed a partnership with medical school classmate Dr. Joe D. Crossno. The association was named Fairfield Clinic, and was officially housed first in a new clinic built on the east side of the square in 1965. A second, larger clinic was built in 1982 and was located on West Commerce. Dr. Keller continued to practice with Dr. Crossno until Crossno’s death in 2000. The West Commerce clinic building was still in use as a medical facility until the day of Dr. Keller’s death, when the current physician group moved into a new building a few hundred yards east. Over the years, Dr. Keller had served as chief of staff at the Fairfield hospital several times and had served on the American Board of Family Physicians. In addition, he was a member of the American Medical Association, the Texas Medical Association, the Texas Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, and the Freestone County Medical Association. He was an elected board member of the Fairfield Hospital District, and was instrumental in establishing a hospital taxing district in Freestone County. He fought to prevent the closing of Fairfield Memorial Hospital in the 1990s, and later served on the East Texas Medical Center - Fairfield board of directors. A lifelong Methodist, he was a member of First United Methodist Church in Fairfield, where he was sound technician during worship services for many years. He also served on the building committee and in many other capacities. His volunteer efforts extended internationally as well. He assisted in the establishment of a clinic in Haiti in conjunction with FUMC Fairfield. He was especially proud and supportive of Sam Houston State University, recommending to numerous area students that they consider attending SHSU, and initiating and contributing to several alumni and university special projects. He received the Sam Houston State University Distinguished Alumni Award in 1996. On three occasions, he served as Physician of the Day for the Texas Legislature. In 2009, after practicing medicine in Fairfield for more than 50 years, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Fairfield Chamber of Commerce. He had also previously been named Citizen of the Year by the organization. In 2011, he received the Rural Health Trail Blazer Award, presented by the Texas Rural Health Forum, which honored him for giving lifelong professional and personal attention to improving the lives of rural citizens. Most recently, he was awarded the Grand Lodge of Texas Community Builder Award, which recognizes outstanding non-Masons who have distinguished themselves through service to their community, church and to humanity. The award is presented to an individual who has never been initiated into Masonry, but has followed the same precepts, ideals and standards established for Masonic behavior. Services were conducted at 4 p.m. at First United Methodist Church. Officating were Dr. Keller’s nephew, Rev. James Mack Strange, pastor of Trinity Church, a campus of Brentwood United Methodist Church in Spring Hill, Tennessee; and Fairfield FUMC pastor Rev. Paul Kethley. Burial follow at Fairfield Cemetery. Pallbearers were O.B. Utley III, Don Awalt, Jeff Hale, Dr. Brent Moore, Sam Bill Bournias, Robert McAdams, Steve James and Gary Toothman. Honorary pallbearers were O.B. Utley, Jr., Dr. Harold Moore, and Harry Gresham. Special Music was provided by soloist Jamie Filis, who sang “In the Garden”, and the congregation sang “Victory in Jesus.” Dr. Keller is survived by his wife of 57 years, Margaret Elizabeth (Betsy) Strange Keller; two daughters and sons-in-law, Susan Keller Myers and husband Charles, and Carolyn Keller Newberry and husband Scott;Grandsons Jordan Keller Myers, James Scott (J) Newberry III and James Andrew Myers, all of Fairfield; and granddaughter Audra Myers Knowles of Waco. The family also gives special recognition to Miss Pat Robertson, the Fairfield Hospital District Board, the Fairfield EMS Board and Staff, Dr. David Latham, and Dr. J. Michael Orms.

Dr. H. Keller Jr. - Fairfield

June 18, 1927 - August 24, 2012