Eldon L. 'Hap' Keller, 94

Eldon L. “Hap” Keller, 94, passed away on Nov. 6, 2009, in Westmond, Idaho.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009, in Coffelt’s Funeral Chapel in Sandpoint, Idaho.  Pastor Steve Bradshaw will be officiating with interment following in the Westmond Cemetery.

Hap was born on June 15, 1915, in Pilot Rock, Ore., the son of L.W. and Grace (Eldridge) Keller.  He attended school in Pilot Rock and, in 1933, he drove two teams of horses to Sagle, Idaho.

On June 9, 1938, he married Evelyn Johnson in Sandpoint.

He farmed in the Sagle area and also did custom combining in the Athol area.

He logged in North Idaho and western Montana, operating his own circular saw sawmill.   He logged the trees, and cut the lumber, for his home and barn and helped his children build their homes. 

He traveled with the Good Sam Club for a number of years and served on the Soil Conservation Board.  He traveled south for the winters and enjoyed his fishing trips to Alaska and the West Coast.

Hap loved to dance, camp out, fish for salmon, and hunting.

He is survived by his wife of 71 years, Evelyn Keller of Westmond; three children, Dorothy (and Dean) Eich in Sagle,  Patricia and Cliff) Irish of Westmond, and Ken Johnson (and Frann) of Westmond; 11 grandchildren, Jeff Eich of Sagle, Kim Powers in Westmond, Pam Kucherry of Laclede, Kirk Quillin of Bayview, Idaho, Mark Quillin of Spokane, Wash., Bruce Quillin of Rathdrum, Idaho, Rusty Irish of Sagle; Rebecca Brinkmeier of Scappoose, Ore., Cory Johnson of Westmond, Jennifer Johnson of Post Falls, and Sarah Johnson of Spokane; and 17 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren.

Also surviving are special family friends, Susan Johnson and Linda Larson; a nephew, Rod Negovan of Jefferson, Ore.; a niece, Anita Keller of Pendleton, Ore.; and a sister-in-law, Edna Keller of Pendleton.

He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers and two sisters.

Family and friends are invited to sign Hap’s online guestbook at www.coffeltfuneral.com.

Funeral arrangements are under the care of Coffelt Funeral Service.