Emily Jean Prince Keller 90, peacefully passed away Monday, April 27 at her home surrounded by love. Emily was a lifetime resident of New Hope in the Hebron Community. The last 7 years, she and her beloved husband Donald moved to Clanton Alabama to be with family.
She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and Aunt.
Mrs. Keller was a member of First Baptist Church of New Hope. She was a 1953 Graduate of Marshall County High School in Guntersville and enjoyed getting together with her fellow classmates through the years following graduation.
Her greatest ambition was to marry the love of her life, get a job, and raise a family. She married Donald Franklin Keller on December 26, 1952, whom she had known since elementary school. Back then, on the way home, their particular school bus would make a daily stop at the neighborhood store. This is where Donald, on a routine basis, purchased cheese curls and a Grapico cola for his future bride. Legend has it, that this was the origin and establishment of their relationship pattern. They were married for 73 years.
Over the years, Emily worked as a teacher’s aid at Hebron Elementary, and was a Book keeper for Huntsville Production, a farmer’s lending institution. She finished her career working for Buck’s Machinery in Guntersville.
She said her most important job was being a mother. She was devoted to her family and always had a ready smile and a warm, generous and compassionate heart for friends, family and complete strangers.
Emily and Donald had 4 Children: Donna, Frank, Bruce and Susan. Having them over with all four kids was a high-stakes game of “Will my house survive the hour?”. Despite the children’s initial reputation, Emily recently revealed that she felt her greatest accomplishment was raising, “self-sufficient and contributing children”.
Emily was preceded in death by her daughter, Donna Jean Keller Mefford, her nephew, Terris Prince, her parents Arnold Sethadore Prince and Lillian Gotthard Prince, her brothers, Arnold Eugene Prince, Junior Franklin Prince, Billy Ray Prince, her lifelong friend and co-conspirator, Doris Jean Keller Barnard and longtime friend Sarah Francis Warren. Loving survivors include her children, Frank (Phylanne) Keller of Biloxi, Mississippi, Bruce (Marsha) Keller of Clanton, Alabama, and Susan (Mark) Yenney of Gainesville, Ga., 12 grandchildren, several great grandchildren and special nieces, and nephews.
The funeral will be conducted Saturday, May 2 at 2:00 p.m. with visitation at 1:00 pm at New Hope Funeral Home with Dr. Jeremy Blue Bryan officiating. Burial will be in Walker Cemetery in Hebron. Pallbearers are Dana Keller, Blue Bryan, Jeremy Cantrell, Jerred Cantrell, Jeffrey Cantrell, and Ramsey Prince.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Hebron Cemetery Fund, 215 Schnault Hollow Rd. Grant, Alabama 35747.
