Donald Ray Keller

Donald Ray Keller, 101, of Strasburg, VA passed away Friday, February 23, 2024, at VA Center in Martinsburg, WV.

Mr. Keller was born in Washington DC on July 24, 1922, a son of the late Mackall Bruin and Bessie Lockstamper Keller. He was a U.S. Army Veteran where he served as a Sargent in WWII.  He fought at Normandy and in the Battle of the Bulge.  Mr. Keller received two purple hearts, his first on July 7, 1944, when he helped save the lives of two badly injured soldiers despite having been wounded himself by mortar shrapnel to his face and chest.  His second purple heart in Luxembourg during the Battle of the Bulge as well as four other commemorative medals from his service as a radio operator for combat engineers during World War II.  Mr. Keller was knighted with the Order of the Legion of Honor of the French Republic, the highest award given of France having equivalence to the Congressional Medal of Honor.  He was a member of the Shenandoah American Legion Post 77, Strasburg, VA, St. Paul Lutheran Church, a life member of the Strasburg Fire Dept.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife Catherine Ellen Vann Keller and a daughter Candace “Candy” Keller Artz.

Survivors include his daughter Donna R. King; grandchildren David Artz and Dale R. King; great grandchildren Dave Artz, Aaron Artz, and D.C. Kent.

A funeral service for Mr. Keller will be conducted at 1:00 p.m. Friday, March 1, 2024, at St. Paul Lutheran Church with Rev. Chris Flohr and Rev. Sonya Williams-Giersch officiating.  Mr. Keller will be laid to rest at Riverview Cemetery with full military honors given by Shenandoah American Legion Post 77, Strasburg, VA.

The pallbearers will be David Artz, Kenneth Glascock, Denny Drummond, Sonny Ryman, Dale King, and David Fishel.  Honorary pallbearers will be Donna King and Carole Synowietz. 

The family will receive friends at Stover Funeral Home on Thursday evening from 6-8 p.m. 

Memorials may be made in memory of Mr. Keller to Shenandoah American Legion Post 77, Strasburg, VA. 

You may sign the guestbook and submit condolences to the family online at www.stoverfuneralhome.com. 

Stover Funeral Home and Crematory, Strasburg, VA is serving the family of Mr. Donald R. Keller. 

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