Mass of Christian Burial for Peter P. Keller, 81, of Timber Lake will be at 10:30 AM, MT, Friday, October 14, 2016 at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Timber Lake. Burial will be at the Keller Family Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home of Mobridge. Visitation will start at 6PM Thursday with a Scriptural Wake Service at 7PM at the church. Pete passed away Sunday, October 9, 2016 at the Mobridge Regional Hospital.

Peter Keller was born June 29, 1935, in Bismarck, ND, the 12th and youngest child of Peter V and Katherine Keller. He was born on the feast day of Saints Peter & Paul and was aptly named, Peter Paul. He was raised on the family homestead 8 miles west of Trail City, SD and attended grade school in Glencross, Trail City and St. Joseph Catholic school in Timber Lake. When he started grade school, he spoke only German and made it a point to never speak German to his kids. He never wanted them to have the same struggle he had starting school and learning a different language. He graduated high school from Timber Lake in 1953. Following high school he took over the family farm where he continued to live throughout the remainder of his life.

On Feb 4, 1956, he married Fauneil Simpson in Glencross, SD. He and Fauneil had 5 children, Bert, Suellen, Lawrence, Marcie and Angela. During the school year of 1973-74, the Keller family hosted an exchange student from Himmelpforten, West Germany, Angela Stelling. Angela quickly became a member of the family and still to this dad refers to Peter as Dad. Although Pete was a dairy and small grain farmer, he also had many additional interests that provided income for the family. He and his nephew Jerome dug many wells throughout the area providing much needed water for families and livestock. He was known for his ability to "witch" water. He would take a Y shaped branch and walk across farm yards searching for veins of water. When he would locate a strong vein, the end of the branch would slowly bend towards the ground. Pete served on the Timber Lake School Board for 23 years, many of those years as President. He had the distinct honor of congratulating his four oldest children as they received their high school diplomas. He also served on the FHA Board for many years.

Music was an integral part of his life growing up and, into his adult life. He played drums for several different bands and spent many weekends during the 70's playing gigs. Another passion of his was the restoration of antique cars, trucks and tractors. He and his oldest son, Bert, spent many hours in the shop taking apart rust buckets and meticously putting back together classic, vintage vehicles. For several years his cars would win first place in many of the local parades. The shop was a central hub with local farmers stopping by to share a story or listen to one of Peter's many jokes. Another favorite past-time of his was baking hundreds and hundreds of Snickerdoodle cookies. It wasn't uncommon for him to whip up a batch on a Sunday afternoon, arming all of his kids with coffee cups full of cinnamon & sugar to roll the cookie balls in prior to baking. A good afternoon would produce 11-1200 cookies.

Peter is survived by his wife of 60 years, Fauneil along with his daughter-in-law, Patricia Keller, daughter Suellen (Michael Williamson) of Sioux Falls, son Lawrence (Lori) of Kalispel, MT; daughter Marcie of Mobridge, daughter Angela (Phillip Manuel) of Atsugi, Japan and exchange daughter Angela Harz of Dusseldorf, Germany. Also surviving him are 15 grandchildren, Perry (Stacy), Albert Peter II (Bridget), Alexander (Natasha) and Pierce Keller; Eric Stoick, MacKenzie Sattler and Brooklyn Williamson; Tonya Jewkes (Lucas), Maxell (Pamela) and Riley Schott; Alexsis and Dakota Keller; Gigi Manuel and Denica Luzar (Alexander) and Sandro Harz along with 12 great grandchildren, Bailey and Gabriel Keller; Ian and Fiona Keller; Albert Peter III, Corbin, Bodie, Terek and Teagan Keller; Aria Harper Lawrence; and Leoni and Sophia Luzar, sisters-in-law, Delila Keller, Kathleen Keller, Cecelia Keller, and Irene Keller

He was preceded in death by his parents, his 11 siblings, Anna, Edmund, Elizabeth, Baldwin, Walter, Timothy, Ervin, Frank, Linus, Marcella and Pauline, and his oldest son, Albert "Bert" Peter I.