Loretta Keller

Loretta Elizabeth Aldrich was born in her grandmother's home in Wadena, Minnesota on February 11, 1919, weighing 2 lbs. She was kept alive by her grandmother on the oven door of a wood burning stove. Loretta attended school and graduated from Hewitt High School in 1939. She moved to St. Paul in her mid-twenties, where she met Henry Keller. They were married in 1946. Henry had three boys (Vic, Wally and Rudy) when he married Loretta and they felt it would be better to move to the country to raise the boys. They moved to the farm in Marine on St. Croix, where they had 3 daughters, Shirley, Dianne and Barbara. Henry and Loretta worked hard on the farm. Loretta always had a big vegetable garden and canned vegetables and made pickles for the winter. She also made jams and jellies. Loretta loved to cook and bake. She always made big Sunday and Holiday meals for the entire family, complete with pie. Her love of helping others led her to make meals for her elderly neighbors and bake breads and cookies for holiday gifts. The farm was like a magnet for the "city" relatives, so there were always extra people at the dining room table on Sundays. Loretta and Henry opened their home to the less fortunate and many children from troubled homes shared the country way of living with them. It was in the early 70's that the farm was sold and Loretta and Henry built a beautiful new home on the edge of their farm property. They lived there for 17 years, enjoying gardening, walking, and going on trips. They got the opportunity to travel to Florida, Texas, Canada, Hawaii, and the Black Hills. They also enjoyed working together at the Lee & Rose Warner Nature Center, where Loretta worked for 25 years. She also had an amazing gift for embroidery, making beautiful gifts for family and friends. As time went by, the large house and yard got to be too much to care for so they moved to the cottages in Scandia. Loretta lived there for 25 years, enjoying social activities with new friends. It was a happy time until 1996 when Henry passed away. Loretta continued to do well until she reached her 90's. Her health began to fail and she became more lonely. It was in April of 2012 when Loretta moved to Vindaga View Assisted Living in Chisago City. She was a member of Christ Lutheran Church for many years and would help with church dinners, working in the kitchen, usually peeling potatoes. She also contributed embroidered dish towels to the church bazaar for many years. Loretta's family was always top priority for her. Whenever you talked to her, she always asked how everyone was in your family. Loretta loved all her family so much, especially the "little ones". She will live on in the hearts of all her loved ones forever until the day we are united in heaven. Loretta was preceded in death by her loving husband of 49 years, Henry; sons, Rudy and Wally; son-in-law, Ray Zeuli; and grandson, Shawn Carlson. She is urvived by children, Vic (Lolla) Keller; Shirley (Jerry) Carlson, Dianne Zeuli, Barbara (Jack) Cannefax, Mike (Sue) Mardaus; daughters-in-law, Maxine and Lucy Keller; 16 grandchildren; 38 great grandchildren; 5 great great grandchildren; many friends and relatives. Funeral Service 11:00 a.m., Saturday, November 15, 2014 at Christ Lutheran Church, 150 5th St., Marine on St. Croix. Visitation 4-8 p.m., Friday at Mattson Funeral Home, 343 North Shore Drive, Forest Lake. Visitation will continue one hour prior to service at the church. Interment at Oakland Cemetery.

Funeral Home: Mattson Funeral Home 343 North Shore Drive Forest Lake, MN US 55025

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Previous Events

Visitation
Friday, November 14, 2014
Service
Saturday, November 15, 2014
cemetery
Saturday, November 15, 2014

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