Richard L. "Dick" Keller

Services are pending at this time. Richard “Dick” Keller, a proud Nebraskan, accomplished educator and coach, successful businessman, devoted husband and father, and lifelong sportsman, passed away on August 14, 2026, at the age of 90. Dick was born on March 27, 1936, to Ralph and Maxine Keller and was raised on the family farm outside Harvard, Nebraska. He attended Harvard Public School and graduated in 1954. He went on to attend Nebraska Wesleyan University, where he was a member of Theta Chi Fraternity and graduated in 1958. An outstanding athlete, Dick excelled in both football and track and field at Nebraska Wesleyan. His athletic accomplishments were recognized when he was inducted into the Nebraska Wesleyan University Hall of Fame in 1987. On May 31, 1959, Dick married Arlene “Hoppy” Keller. Together they built a life filled with family, friends and sports. Dick also proudly served in the Air National Guard. Dick began his career in education as a teacher and coach in Harvard, before moving to California, where he continued his work in education and earned a master's degree from Pepperdine University. In 1964 Dick became a founding faculty member of Rolling Hills High School in Rolling Hills Estates, California, when the school opened its doors to students that September. He served as an assistant football coach of the Rolling Hills Titans and later became athletic director, a position he held until 1976. His years in the Palos Verdes School District became much more than a career. Dick built a remarkable community of lifelong friendships with fellow faculty members and, over the years, with many of the students he taught and coached. Those relationships continued long after his years in education, a testament to the lasting impression he made on the people around him. After leaving education, Dick and Arlene built a thriving industrial textile business together. Following Arlene's passing in 1995, Dick returned to Nebraska. He was grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with his brothers, Don and Jerry, and became closely involved in their industrial coatings manufacturing business. He worked side by side with Jerry in the family business, enjoying both the work and the chance to spend more time with his brother. In his later years, Dick lived with Don and Wanda, bringing him even closer to family and allowing those important sibling relationships to remain a meaningful part of his life. Although Dick grew up on a Nebraska farm, he developed a lifelong love of the water after moving to California. He became scuba certified early in his California years and continued diving along the Southern California coast into the 1980s. Whether surfing, windsurfing, sailing, boating, snorkeling, jet skiing, or scuba diving, Dick was happiest when he was on or in the ocean. During the warmer months, family and friends often gathered aboard the family boat for trips to Catalina Island, where they enjoyed diving, snorkeling, jet skiing, and simply being together. For nearly 30 years, Dick and Arlene called Rolling Hills home. Their house became a gathering place for family and friends and was the setting for many of the memories that would be treasured for generations. Fourth of July celebrations were a particular highlight, with sack races, balloon and egg tosses, trampoline jumping, swimming in the pool, and horseback riding filling the day with laughter and competition. The ultimate competitor, Dick was also a great host. He was often right in the middle of the action, leading the charge for activities with the kids and making sure everyone was having a good time. He particularly enjoyed spending time with his nieces and nephews and loved including them in the fun. Whether organizing a race, getting everyone into the pool, encouraging the kids onto the trampoline, or saddling up the horses, Dick never seemed to outgrow his love of play. His competitive spirit was matched by his enthusiasm for bringing people together. Dick was also an avid bicyclist. He could often be found riding around the Palos Verdes Peninsula or along the beach, enjoying the scenery and the freedom of being on two wheels. After returning to Harvard, he continued to ride and could regularly be seen bicycling through town. In his later years, his ability to stay on the bike became a source of good-natured family humor, but Dick never lost his enthusiasm for riding. Even in his final days, he would talk about needing to go riding and wonder where his bike was. In true Dick fashion, the desire for his next adventure never left him. Dick also had a mischievous side that those closest to him will never forget. He loved to tease and play practical jokes, and his favorite targets were often the people he loved most. He was known to hide behind doors and jump out to scare Arlene and his daughter, Kristin. His sense of humor, playful spirit, and ability to keep people laughing were an unmistakable part of who he was. Winter holidays at Mammoth Lakes, California, were another treasured part of Dick's life. An avid skier, he enjoyed both cross-country and downhill skiing well into his 70s. There were few sports Dick didn't enjoy. He and Arlene were longtime members of the Jack Kramer Tennis Club, where tennis became another favorite activity and where many friendships were formed. Friends in California will remember Dick for his love of horses, the ocean, sports, good times, practical jokes, and, above all, his family. Though he spent the majority of his life in California, Dick remained a proud Nebraskan through and through. When he returned to Harvard in the early 2000s, he enjoyed reconnecting with the community he had always considered home. He especially enjoyed golfing with his buddies and starting each morning with coffee and good conversation with the guys. Dick's life was one of adventure, achievement, friendship, and family. He was an athlete and coach, teacher and mentor, entrepreneur, skier and sailor, diver and golfer, horseman and biker, prankster and host. He formed lasting connections with people wherever life took him and never seemed to lose his competitive spirit or his enthusiasm for having a good time. Dick is survived by his daughter, Kristin Keller Aspegren, and her husband, Steve Aspegren as well as his sisters-in-law, Wanda Keller, Gayle Keller and Shirley Hoppens. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Arlene “Hoppy” Keller; his parents, Ralph and Maxine Keller; and his brothers, Donald and Gerald Keller. Dick leaves behind a lifetime of memories shared with family, friends. His love of adventure, competitive spirit, humor, generosity, and devotion to those he loved will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.

Richard L. "Dick" Keller

March 27, 1936 - August 14, 2026