Lowell Richard Keeler

Lowell Richard Keeler, 99, of Ankeny, Iowa, formerly of rural Haverhill and Marshalltown, Iowa, passed away Sunday, August 27, 2023 at UnityPoint Health – Iowa Lutheran Hospital in Des Moines.

Per the wishes of Lowell and his family, cremation rites have been accorded. Memorial services will take place Saturday, September 2 at 11:00 A.M. at First United Church of Christ in Marshalltown followed by interment at Rose Hill Memorial Gardens. Military honors will be provided by the combined VFW/American Legion of the surrounding area. Friends and family are also invited to attend a visitation one hour prior beginning at 10:00 A.M. Mitchell Family Funeral Home has been entrusted with the care of Lowell and his family. For questions or condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com or call 641-844-1234.

Born April 28, 1924 at home near Albion, Iowa, Lowell was the son of Earl Richard and Hedvig Sophie (Johnson) Keeler Breed. While he never completed his formal education, his desire for learning continued throughout his life.

He honorably served his country in the United States Air Force during WWII from January 1943 to March 1945.

On September 21, 1947, Lowell was united in marriage to Martha Shore at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. They farmed together for over 40 years outside of Haverhill, Iowa, where they raised their family. He was always generous with his time to help his neighbors whenever needed.

In 1992 they retired to Marshalltown, where they lived until they moved to Ankeny in November of 2018. They celebrated 72 years of marriage before Martha’s passing in 2020.

Lowell was a member of United Church of Christ by Haverhill and later a faithful member of the First United Church of Christ in Marshalltown where he was happily on call for any building or site maintenance.

His final years were spent under the loving care of the staff at Suites of Ankeny.

Left to cherish his memory are his children: Linda (Dallas) Diederich of Flint, Texas, Terri (Roy) Johnson of Ankeny, Iowa, and Richard (Diane) Keeler of Lincoln, Nebraska; his grandchildren: Cory (Amy) Dawson of Phoenix, Arizona, Aaron (Amanda) Dawson of Houston, Texas, Angela (Travis) Bergen of Ankeny, Iowa, Renee (Jeff) Burnell of College Station, Texas, Wade (Tiffany) Diederich of Dallas, Texas, Abigail (Adam) Christensen of Lincoln, Nebraska, Trisha (Chris) Ericksen of Omaha, Nebraska and Stephanie (Mark) Hansen of Winthrop, Massachusetts; sister-in-law Virginia(Charles) Sloat; 20 great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews and friends.

In eternal life, Lowell is reunited with his beloved wife Martha, his parents Earl and Hedvig, stepfather Don Breed and sisters Evelyn Middleton and Marie Brown.