Irene Mary Keller

Irene passed away a week shy of her 97th birthday. She moved to Santa Cruz last September to be close to her daughter, Mary Fran Archer. This was the last move but certainly not the only one in her life. She was an Army wife and picked up house and family many many times over the years, moving state to state and country to country. Irene was born on June 5, 1916 in Walkill, New York, the 3rd of 10 children born to Michalena Charewicz Kruszynski and Peter Kruszynski. Her parents were Polish immigrants who came to this country for a better life. They moved to Danbury, Connecticut where Peter worked in the hat factories. Irene had to leave school at the end of the 8th grade to work in the factory as well and she reported that she cried on the way to work every day at first. She met Charles Keller, a handsome, charming man on his way to a career in the military. They were married in 1941 a week after Pearl Harbor. Irene followed Charlie to stations in Maine, Kansas and Alabama where her oldest daughter was born. Two more daughters were born while he was stationed in Connecticut. The family was stationed in New Jersey, Kentucky, Austria, Germany and Washington over the years. Irene created comfortable homes in all these varied places. Her favorite station was Austria where she found beautiful art and craft pieces that followed the family from house to house. She and Charlie settled in Steilacoom, Washington near Ft. Lewis, which was the last assignment with the Army. There they lived for nearly 50 years, cultivating many friends who remained in close touch when she moved to Santa Cruz. Irene was a homemaker and volunteer. She gave many years of service to the Thrift Shop on Ft. Lewis where she was part of a circle of friends who supported and care for each other even to this day. A friend wrote on hearing of her passing: "Irene was a wonderful friend, an amazing woman we are proud to call our friend. She was gracious, friendly and always interested in whatever was happening in our family. Her sharp memory for details surprised and delighted us. For us, the house you lived in will always be the Keller house." Irene was predeceased by her husband Charles Keller and her daughter Anita. She is survived by her daughter Mary Fran Archer, three grandsons, Zach, Nate and Cam Archer, Anita's daughter Karla Gatley and her daughter Janet Reardon and Jan's children and grandchildren. Special thanks go to the loving staff at Sunshine Villa and especially to Robin, whom Irene called her angel. A memorial mass will be celebrated at the Shrine of St. Jospeh, Guardian of the Redeemer (544 West Cliff Drive) in Santa Cruz, followed by a reception at Mary Fran's home, 524 Dufour St., Santa Cruz Contributions may be made to Hospice of Santa Cruz County, 940 Disc Drive, Scotts Valley, CA 95066.