Karin Marie Keller

She leaves behind her children Jonathan (Esther), David (Cindy) and Deeann, grandchildren Joshua (Krystal), Shelby and Matthew, sister Sylvia, and nephews Vincent and Dan.

She was predeceased by her husband, Larry, brother Ovie and her parents John and Anna.

Karin Keller was born August 12, 1934 in Winnipeg MB to John and Anna Wiklund who had recently immigrated to Canada at the start of the Great Depression. Finding work at that time was difficult and the family often moved so by the time Karin was in grade 8, she had attended 23 different schools across Canada.

Shortly thereafter, because of her father’s failing health she dropped out of school but this did not deter her from her determination to continue with her education. Karin did pursue her GED and graduated just before her first son finished his High School.

She also attended BC Bible Institute (now Summit Pacific College) where she met Larry who she married on June 29, 1957. Together, feeling the call of God on their lives, they moved to Steinbach Manitoba and opened the Pentecostal church there. During that time, they were joined by their first child Jonathan on January 2, 1960.

Their next call was to Hixon BC where they built the church both physically and spiritually as Home Missionaries and then, moving on to Campbell River, David was born March 8, 1963. Their third child, Deeann was born August 10, 1966 while at the Fort Langley Pentecostal Church (now Living Waters). In those days you lived in the church basement, because churches could afford neither a parsonage nor a pastor’s salary. This led to Larry starting an electrical business for which Karin did the bookkeeping. Eventually Larry became an electrical inspector for the BC government and was posted in Kamloops, so Karin returned to school, the children now having graduated and living on their own. Her social work studies connected her with various Kamloops volunteer endeavours for which she was acknowledged as ‘volunteer of the year’. Moving once again, this time back to Langley, she worked for the Fort Langley Chamber of Commerce for several years in marketing before responding to God’s call at Wagner Hills Farm where she worked for 7 years before retiring.

Karin had a wide variety of interests, including rock collecting (does anyone want this collection?), gardening, crafting, teaching Sunday school for 50 years and leading bible studies at Elim Seniors Village where she and Larry took an active part in the community there. She also enjoyed traveling with friends to places like Europe, Israel, Egypt, Alaska, Panama Canal, Hawaii, the Caribbean and of course, all over North America. Her most important trip however came last Tuesday, when her Saviour called her to come home to live with him to which she happily replied yes.

Farewell Mother, Grandmother, sister, and Friend. We will miss you.

A memorial service for Karin will be held Thursday, July 28, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Woodlawn Funeral Home, 2310 Clearbrook Road, Abbotsford, BC V2T2X5, followed by a reception at 12:00 PM.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.woodlawnfh-abbotsford.com for the Keller family.