Marie Ann Keller, known to many as "Grandma Marie" or "Mrs. Keller," passed away peacefully in her home in Munster, Indiana on November 26, 2025, at the remarkable age of 101. Mother, grandmother, teacher, Green Bay Packers loyalist (despite living in the middle of Bears country), baker, card shark, reluctant driver, social butterfly, devout Catholic, and a self-proclaimed "tough old bird," Marie lived a long life filled with grit, humor, and warmth.

Marie is survived by her daughters Rita (Jay) Vanderby, Kathleen (Michael) Manno; son Timothy Keller (Wendi); granddaughters: Dana (Craig) Parkhill, Allison Vanderby (Michael Van Milligan), Kristin Vanderby (Nicholas Blannin), Renee Manno, and Nikki Manno; great grandchildren: Harper and Brynn Parkhill, Ambrose and Keller Blannin; and nieces and nephews.

Born on August 12, 1924, on a dairy farm in Kennan, Wisconsin with no electricity or indoor plumbing, Marie's childhood was shaped by the music her exceptionally talented father played and the homegrown meals her mother prepared, long before the popular term called "farm-to-table." Marie was the second of six children and knew both the joy and the fragility of life, as two of her siblings did not survive childhood. The experience shaped the strength and resilience that defined her. Marie attended a one-room schoolhouse and excelled from the beginning, becoming valedictorian of Price County's 8th grade class and salutatorian of her high school class, second only to her dear friend, Inez Lund. The two would later become college roommates at Superior Teachers College in Superior, WI. Marie completed her degree in just three years during the 1940s and began her teaching career in Rhinelander, Wisconsin, before taking a yearlong teaching post in California. She then moved back to the Midwest to be with her love, Bob Keller.

Marie and Bob married in Wisconsin after Bob returned from serving in the Navy during World War II. It was always a little suspicious that Bob had been a radio officer, considering he was deaf in one ear and Marie openly admitted to helping him pass his typing assignments in school. Somehow, the Navy made it work, and so did they. They eventually settled in the south suburbs of Chicago for Bob's career and began raising a family in the late 1940s. Rita was born first, followed by Kathy and then Tim. They remained in Lansing, moving across town from Henry Street, across from Calvin Coolidge Elementary School, to Oakwood Avenue in 1961.

Life was full, happy, and routine until 1981, when Bob passed away suddenly and tragically, just two weeks after the birth of their second granddaughter, Allison. It was a loss that reshaped her life, but Marie's strength, deep friendships, and enduring faith carried her forward. Though she never remarried, she was never alone. She built an exceptional network of friends, colleagues, and neighbors along with her family in Lansing.

And goodness, did she make the most of those days. Marie was known for her extraordinary social life of monthly lunch dates, church, phone catch-ups, and retired-teachers gatherings, which she kept well into her 100th year. She had a rare gift for nurturing friendships that lasted a lifetime.

Marie was equally known for her legendary baking. Growing up, dessert after dinner was not a daily occurrence, but when they did have dessert, it was baked by Marie. Her family still talks about her brownies with thick fudge frosting, her enormous Christmas morning cinnamon rolls, incredible hot fudge, delicate cinnamon sticks, lemon bars, lemon cake, toffee, and her beloved peanut butter cookies that vanished from any gathering long before the pan cooled. There was however the legendary Thanksgiving pumpkin pie that made it to the table without a hint of any spices, producing a flavor so shockingly dull that even the kindest guest couldn't fake a smile after the first bite, a memory her family helped her to never live down.

Despite all her strengths, driving was not one of Marie's early skills. She never drove while raising her children, choosing instead to walk or catch a ride wherever she needed to go. She often said this was one of the reasons she lived such a long, healthy life. She also became a familiar and well-liked presence on the local bus route. When she taught at St. Ann's School, she and her children rode the bus together each morning, much to her kids' delight. They loved telling their friends, with equal parts pride and amusement, that their mom took the bus to school too.

In true independent fashion, Marie secretly earned her driver's license after Bob's passing. She didn't buy a car right away, but eventually acquired a beige Oldsmobile sedan with a license plate that read GZA. Her grandchildren insisted it stood for Grandma Zooms Around, though in reality her car rarely topped 30 miles per hour and left turns were something she preferred to avoid entirely. Still, one unforgettable afternoon proved she had a flair for the dramatic: while driving down Burnham Ave in Lansing with a car full of grandchildren, Marie hit the railroad tracks by the Dairyville with a bit too much gusto. Every witness (besides Marie herself) swore that all four tires left the ground. It remains the closest she ever came to earning that "Zooms Around" nickname.

Marie discovered the joy of travel in her retirement and embraced it wholeheartedly. She explored the United States with her sister Betty and ventured through Europe, Asia, Iceland, and Morocco with Evelyn and Ted Brown and other close friends, gathering stories, souvenirs, and a deep appreciation for the world. Some of her most treasured adventures, however, were the trips she took with her granddaughters. Allison and Dana joined her in Italy, and later Renee and Kristin, with Rita and Kathy coming along as well, on a journey through Italy, France, Switzerland, and England. These trips became some of the family's most cherished stories and remain among Marie's proudest gifts to them.

Marie was preceded in death by her husband Robert Keller; her parents Anton and Caroline Ellman; her siblings: Betty, Clarence, Rita, and the twins; her son-in-law Michael Manno and a long list of beloved pets: Spotty, Shane the dog, Tim's mischievous chameleon that escaped Tim's hands only to run straight up Marie's pant leg (sending her shrieking out the side door and into the yard), a turquoise parakeet who was unfairly labeled "mean" until Kathy was caught poking it with a pencil through the cage, and the countless bats that, despite their enthusiasm, never quite made it to pet status.

Her family takes comfort imagining her joyful arrival in eternity, greeted by Bob. She leaves behind a legacy of strength, hard work, loyalty, and a steadfast love that stretches across generations.

She will be deeply missed and joyfully remembered.

The wake for Marie will be held Friday, December 26, 2025 from 3pm-7pm at Schroeder-Lauer located at 3227 Ridge Rd in Lansing. The funeral will be at 10am on Saturday, December 27th at All Souls Church located at 3010 Ridge Rd in Lansing. Marie will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband, Bob, in Assumption Cemetery in Glenwood, IL. Donations may be made in Marie's name at the Lansing Community Food Pantry, where she was a weekly volunteer for several decades.