John (Jack) George Keller, 88, born January 14, 1930 in Idaho Falls, ID was son of John Mathew Keller and Mary Ethel Gergen.  After a brief illness, Jack passed away peacefully surrounded by family on November 10, 2018 in Boise, Idaho.

Jack mostly grew up in Idaho Falls spending time with his siblings and many cousins. When Jack was around 6, someone gave him a large doe bunny which started his rabbit business.  He was an entrepreneur from an early age and knew the value of hard work.

Jack and his siblings were very active. They spent many hours at the ice-skating rink, sometimes getting there by walking through the cemetery at night, which was a real adventure! He loved to bowl and played a lot of baseball. He enlisted the neighborhood kids to help construct their very own baseball field. That was the first of many Keller baseball teams, which led to his lifelong love of baseball.

Road Trip! In 1939, the family piled into the Chevy and headed to Oklahoma. Jack declared, "going clear to Oklahoma was like going to the moon!"  On this trip, his cousin Irene introduced the family to Ritz crackers . Jack thought they were the best thing ever.

In 1940, he attended Holy Rosary Catholic School. Jack recalled, "I learned many things during my years there…it was my most important time of learning how to do the little things that all kids need to know."  He went to Holy Rosary for 8 years and started freshman year at Idaho Falls High School, graduating in 1948.  During high school, he worked in a mail room and thought the pay was unreal; he was making 50 cents an hour!

Three days after graduation, he started a 5-year pressman apprentice program.

Unfortunately, his apprenticeship was interrupted by the Korean War.
Jack joined the 116 Engineer Combat Battalion. He left Idaho Falls by troop train to Fort Belvoir, VA for training, then to Camp Stoneman, CA before boarding a ship. It was a 19-day transit to Pusan, Korea.  Jack's duties were building roads and bridges. In March 1952, his deployment ended, and he returned home.  It was a day that Jack would never forget as he was elated to be back home in the GOOD OL' USA!  He was a proud Veteran and kept many friendships with his buddies from the 116th. He also regularly attended the Battalion reunions.

After his military service, he still had 3-years of school to complete before becoming a Journeyman, which he finished at the Idaho Falls Post Register.  He worked as a pressman in Las Vegas and Long Beach, finishing his 45-year career at "The Stateman" newspaper in Boise.  He was a proud member of the International Printing Pressmen Union and was voted every year to be treasurer by his local union for his honesty and trust. He loved his job and made many lifelong friendships. Additionally, he remained a union member throughout his life.

His golden years were truly golden. He met the love of his life Gay Runyon in 1985, and they shared 27 wonderful years together. The pair took many road trips, looked forward to date nights, movies, desserts, puzzles, and card games. Further, they cherished their annual trip to Warm Lake, Idaho for almost 30 years.  It's a tradition the extended family still carrys on today.

Jack was an avid bicyclist who peddled over 42,000 miles alongside the Boise River Greenbelt riding his one and only trusty bike. He adored the time he spent on his bike riding in the city he loved.  He wasn't a fair-weather rider; rain or snow he rarely missed a day. He also walked several miles almost every day throughout his neighborhood. He knew most of the people within a 3-mile radius of his house and became very fond of his neighborhood and the people who lived there. He had an infectious giggle, was a man of integrity, and generous to a fault. He lived a huge life in a very simple and contented way; a lesson the family strives to emulate.

He is preceded in death by his parents John and Mary, brothers Kenneth, Robert, Charles, sister Joan, niece Karmen, and soul mate Gay Runyon. He will be immensely missed by the many loved ones he left behind.

Please sign the guestbook online at ColtrinMortuary.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of John "Jack" Keller to St. Jude's Children's Hospital.  A Celebration of Life with family and friends will be held Saturday, November 24 at Stockman's Restaurant from 5 to 7 PM.