Tommie Roy Keller

Tommie Roy Keller, of Kosse, passed away at home, with his wife caring for him, on Friday, August 2, 2013, at age 85. Visitation will be Sunday, August 4, 2013, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M., at the Groesbeck Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 A.M. on Monday, August 5, 2013, at the First Baptist Church in Kosse. Burial will follow in the Kosse City Cemetery. Tommie was born on October 31, 1927 to John and Nina Keller in Yale, Oklahoma. He grew up and attended school there, until he became of working age, and went to work for the railroad in Oklahoma. Tommie eventually moved to Houston where he worked as a pipe coater, until his retirement in 1984. Tommie was married to Ila Mae Bryant and they lived in Houston, until the tragic loss of their son caused them to decide to relocate to Kosse. Ila Mae passed away leaving Tommie a widower at Kosse until he met Martha Jane Kinney. Martha was hard at work one day cleaning off a fence line on her son’s place, when Tommie drove by, and stopped and asked if she needed help. Thus began their courtship and they were united in marriage on December 2, 1999 in Victoria at his brother’s home. Tommie and Martha lived the rest of his life outside Kosse. Tommie was a hard working man all his life, and liked to be moving about and doing anything he could, up until his health finally stopped him in the past year. Tommie and Martha mowed lawns together for many years, and picked up pecans, and he did tractor work for the public as well. He liked to raise a garden, pet his "Puppy", and never liked to sit still. He always wanted to be helpful to anyone. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Kosse. Mr. Keller was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Irene Dorman and brother, Bud Keller; his son, Joseph Foy Keller; and his first wife, Ila Mae Bryant Keller. He is survived by his wife Martha Jane Keller of Kosse; his stepson, Ronnie Hill and wife, Michelle of Kosse; his stepdaughter, Brenda McFarlin and her husband Ronnie of Georgetown; his sister, Nina Noble of Fort Smith, Arkansas; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law, B. J. and Sandra Bryant of Kosse; granddaughter, Chelsi Seale of Kosse; several other grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.