Helen Irene Taylor Keller

Helen Irene Taylor Keller, 88, of Franklin, passed away due to complications from COVID-19 at 2:40 P.M. on Saturday, December 26, 2020 at The Caring Place in Franklin.

Born in McKeesport on June 16, 1932 she was the daughter of the late Clyde and Mary Cunningham Taylor.

Upon graduation from McKeesport High School she worked in the administrative offices at WABCO in Wilmerding, PA where she met Donald Eugene “Babe” Keller of Arona, PA. On February 5, 1955 they married, and remained so until his death on March 7, 2008.

Around 1999 Helen and Don permanently moved from Arona, PA into their summer cottage in Franklin, PA. In 2012 due to her lost mobility associated with Parkinson’s disease, she moved into The Caring Place. The Keller family wishes to give a special thank you to the nursing home staff for the kindness, loving care and friendship they so freely gave Helen for those many years.

Helen was a member of East Grove United Methodist Church. She enjoyed bread baking, cooking, canning, card playing, jigsaw puzzles and music. In her younger days she frequently threw Saturday night pizza parties at their cottage where she invited friends and neighbors for her homemade pizza. More recently she would gather with family members at her cottage for meals and fellowship. Nothing comforted Helen more than making sure everyone had food to eat, except for possibly a slice of chocolate cake.

Surviving are her four children; Jan Eugene Keller and his wife Susan, Ronnie Lee Keller and his wife Shari, Judy Alice Keller Engle and her husband Kevin, and Roger George Keller and his wife Jennifer; seven grandchildren, Holly Burgard Wood and her husband Jerry, Carl “Boomer” Burgard and his partner Diane Diamond, Danny Keller and his wife Judy, Scott Keller, Amara Keller Graham and her husband J.J., Micah Keller and his fiancé Kaitlyn Orr, and Eli Keller.

Additionally surviving are seven great-grandchildren, Anthony Vecchio, Sara Vecchio, Isabella Wood, Virginia Snyder, Cheryl Burgard, Cori Burgard and new born (12/23) baby, Tucker Keller. One brother, Paul Taylor and his wife Marilyn survive her, living in Green Valley, AZ.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and four siblings, Bill Taylor, Charles Taylor, Dorothy Taylor Lipps and Margaret Taylor Grego.

There will be no public visitation.

A private funeral service will be held at 1:30 PM Monday, January 4, 2021 which will be “live streamed" on the funeral home Facebook Page. Please visit
https://www.facebook.com/HuffFuneralHome and like the page to be notified when it begins.

Funeral arrangements entrusted to Huff-Guthrie Funeral Home & Cremation Services Inc. 312 West Park St. Franklin.

Helen will be laid to rest at Graham Cemetery next to her husband.

The family asks in lieu of flowers to make a memorial donation in Helen’s name to a local food pantry.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting http://www.hufffuneral.com/.