Joel Kristan Keppel

KEPPEL, Joel Kristan "Kris", aka Coach Keppel, 53, finished his last race while in Hospice care at Gulfside Hospice House in Zephyrhills on January 25th 2015. He was surrounded by his wife and two daughters after an inspiring fight with pancreatic cancer. Kris was born June 6, 1961 in Indianapolis, Indiana and was the son of the late Rev. John Henry and Mildred Keppel. Kris has been a vital part of the Land O’ Lakes community for over 25 years. He spent more than two decades as the coach of the Land O’ Lakes High cross-country team and as the school’s media specialist and a TV production and history teacher. He has left an enormously positive legacy in the greater Land O’ Lakes community both in the classroom, track and running trails. No one worked harder than Kris. He is an inspiration to countless people. He didn't really come from a running background, but he studied, went to clinics, and asked a lot of questions of people in the know. His coaching success was built upon the fact that he truly cared deeply for the young men and women at Land O’ Lakes High School. He instilled in them the same work ethic that he possessed. Kris was so much more than a teacher and coach, his influence went beyond the classroom and track, he molded boys and girls into men and women. Kris was recently nominated as one of the Brooks Running Most Inspirational Coaches of the Year. He was also the Interact sponsor at LOLHS for over a decade, participating in events such as Metropolitan Ministries, Marine Corps Toys for Tots and American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Kris was an active member in the LifeTeen Band at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church for 15 years and a co-founder of the Land O’ Lakes Road Runners. He was an All-Around AMAZING dad, coach, husband, educator, friend, and man of his word. He believed in others even when they didn’t believe in themselves. He stressed his motto of making the most of every opportunity in life, leaving everything on the track or course, it was simply the “Keppel Way.” Kris is survived by his wife, Darlene of 29 years and his two daughters, Meredith and Morgan; two brothers, Daniel Keppel and wife, Gail and their daughter, Leah; Mark Keppel and his wife, Ann and his daughter, Jenny; mother in law, Winifred Durante and her late husband, Orlando; two brothers in law, David Durante and wife, Sue and daughters Lauren and Lindsey and Buster Durante and his wife, Judy and two daughters, Angela and Corinna; sister in law Denise Farley and her husband, Tom and son, David. Kris was one of the great ones, none better than Kris Keppel! His legacy will be carried on in the countless lives he has touched. I think the late Stuart Scott’s quote from the ESPY’s says it best…. “When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer. You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and the manner in which you live.” He fought the good fight and he WON! He is a legend in his time. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 31st at Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church. The family will receive friends on Friday evening, January 30th from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. A wake service will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Friday evening at Loyless Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Kris's name to Moffitt Cancer Center, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Mail Stop MCBFOU, Tampa, FL 33612. Please put on check; In memory of Joel Kristan Keppel for Dr. Springett's Pancreatic Cancer Research. moffitt.org/donate. or "I run for Keppel" scholarship fund. https://www.pascoeducationfoundation.org/p/46/donate-now