Jack Steven Keller

Our most loved husband, father, brother and friend, Jack Steven Keller passed away on June 27, 2024, at the age of 72 in Wyoming, MI after a long and courageous journey with cancer. Jack's presence will be profoundly missed by family, friends, and all who knew him.

Born on April 2, 1952, in Mount Clemens, Michigan, Jack was preceded in death by his father, Sherwood Louis Keller and mother, Beverly Ann Keller. He is survived by: his wife, Sheryl; his children, Brent and Brittany; his brother, Terry; sisters in law and brothers in law, including Debbie and Dennis Cline, Chris and Sharon Babler, Eric (Roxana) Babler, Jeff and Nancy Babler, and Ann and Ed Portillo; along with many special nieces and nephews.

Jack grew up in Mount Clemens, Michigan and attended L’Anse Cruse High School. After graduating in 1970, he found his way to West Michigan where he worked his way through, and eventually graduated from college at GVSU (prev. Grand Valley State College), where he received a bachelor’s degree in History. Jack met Sheryl in 1980 and they were married in 1985. Jack spent his professional career in Banking in the Grand Rapids area. Over his long career, he worked for various West Michigan banking institutions. In 2014, after he had paused his career during his initial battle with cancer, Jack restarted his career at Lake Michigan Credit Union as a commercial banker. He enjoyed his time with LMCU so, that he continued to work part time there after “retiring”.

Jack was always involved with the community and loved volunteering his time and talents. Over his working career he was a member of the Wyoming DDA, the Northview Education Foundation, and he held many and various volunteer positions over his almost 40 years as a member of Messiah Lutheran Church. (His Easter Breakfast kitchen talents will surely be missed.) He truly believed in assisting the small business community thrive and, most recently, was a board member of GROW (Grand Rapids area microlender). In 2015, He was one of a small group of community leaders included in the United Way Art Prize submission as a “Champion of Change”, and was named the GROW partner of the year in 2017.

Jack dearly loved his wife, his children, his family, his friends - and life. He was an avid reader and lover of music. He was always ready to discuss and provide answers to trivia of 60s and 70s Rock music. Jack was passionate about sports and most close to his heart were the Detroit pro teams & GVSU football. He was a dedicated and encouraging little league baseball and softball coach to both of his children. Plenty of his fall Saturdays were spent tailgating at Grand Valley games with his special group of longtime faithful college friends, the “Dizmal Dozen”. While he also loved playing softball and continued to actively work on his golf game, he saved his best moves for the dance floor, where he danced with style and grace, (and a little funk), with his favorite and most appreciative dance partner, his wife. Jack and Sheryl thoroughly embraced their time at their cottage, where Jack put on his “Captain Jack” hat on the many occasions they took to the lake on their boat. Jack so enjoyed living life to the fullest, and he was dedicated to maintaining and developing connections and friendships, most of them from early childhood, high school and college to present day. Many of his close friends can measure their friendship in decades in lieu of years.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, July 7, from 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm & 6:00 pm - 8:00pm at Reyers North Valley Chapel. A Memorial Service will take place the following day, Monday, July 8, at 11:00 am at Messiah Lutheran Church. 2727 5 Mile Road, Grand Rapids, MI 49525. The family will welcome guests one hour prior to the start of the service at church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Jack's honor may be made to Messiah Lutheran Church or the International Myeloma Foundation.