Kay Allen Keller, 81, of Cleona, PA, died suddenly at his home on July 17, 2022.
Born in Rockland Township, Berks County, he was the son of Carol W. and Dorothy G. (Drey) Keller.
He is survived by his loving and devoted wife of 55 years, Gwen; daughter Amanda Rapoza, wife of Gary Rapoza of Little Compton, RI; son Jonathan Keller, husband of Amber Keller of Golden, CO; and five grandsons: Matthew, Joseph, and Evan Rapoza, and Jackson and William Keller. He is also survived by sisters Judith (Keller) O’Neil, wife of Larry O’Neil, and Elaine (Keller) Becker, widow of Dennis Becker, and by brother Ricky Keller, husband of Conni Keller.
Kay, known to many as Allen, graduated from Brandywine Heights High School and received a degree in fuel technology from Pennsylvania State University. He served in the Army Reserve in the railway transportation battalion in Philadelphia. His lifelong passion was a love of trains – big and small, steam and diesel, old and new – which he gladly shared with everyone. Many a weekend and summer vacation was spent sharing this passion with his grandsons. Kay put his college degree to use, working for many railroad companies, retiring from both Amtrak and then Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad. In recent years he combined his love of coal and railroading to become President of Lebanon Blue Mountain Railroad, in which he was active until his death.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 20, at 1:00 pm at Christ Mertz Lutheran Church (Dryville).
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to either: Christ Mertz Lutheran Church (Dryville), 16 Fleetwood Road, Fleetwood, PA 19522. (Designated in memory of K. Allen Keller); or Reading Company Technical and Historical Society, P. O. Box 15143, Reading, PA 19612-5143. (Use K. Allen Keller Memorial Fund on the subject line.)
