Evelyn Dorothy Keller

Evelyn Dorothy Keller, 85, a lifelong resident of the Westmoreland, KS area passed away Saturday, December 25, 2010 at the Westy Community Care Home in Westmoreland. Evelyn was born December 24, 1925 in Clay Center, KS, the daughter of Rubert and Agnes (Forsberg) Westling. She attended schools in Olsburg, KS, graduating from Olsburg High School in 1944. She lived mostly in the Olsburg and Westmoreland communities, and also lived briefly in Manhattan and Wamego. She married H. V. Smith in Olsburg in 1944. They later divorced. She then married Virgil C. Keller in Westmoreland on Jan. 28. 1983. He preceded her in death. Evelyn and her husband H.V. owned and operated the Swirlytop restaurant in Wamego in the early 1950’s. She also worked as the cook for the Pottawatomie County Jail for several years, and mostly worked at the Westy Community Care Home as a med-aid from 1977 until her retirement in the late 1980’s. She was a member of the St. Luke Lutheran Church of Wheaton. More than anything, Evelyn loved having her family at her home. She enjoyed entertaining and having her friends come to visit, singing in the church choir, and always had a good time playing bingo at the care home. Her survivors include her children, Roberta Parker and husband Gary, of Junction City, KS, Jim Smith and wife Dorie, Westmoreland, KS, Jon Smith, Westmoreland, KS, Cynthia Smith and Robert Staley, Westmoreland, KS, Aaron Keller and wife Stacy, Westmoreland, KS, Joe Keller, Westmoreland, KS, 17 grandchildren, Gary, David, Jaimie, Ashley, Vincent, Angie, Jon, Duane, Robert, Candice, Tyler, Blake, Brian, Christopher, Michael, Patrick, Elizabeth; and 18 great-grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by two grandchildren, Christina Smith and Christopher Parker, and a brother, Jerry Westling. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, December 31, 2010, at Stewart Funeral Home of Wamego with Rev. Terry DeGiovanni. Burial will follow in Westmoreland City Cemetery. Mrs. Keller will lie in-state beginning at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, at Stewart Funeral Home of Wamego, with family to receive friends during a visitation from 7-8:30 p.m. Memorials are suggested to the Westy Community Care Home, and may be left in care of the Stewart Funeral Home of Wamego, P.O. Box 48, Wamego, KS 66547.