William 'Bill' Stewart Keller

POLSON — William "Bill" Stewart Keller, 77, of Polson died of natural causes on Saturday June 3, 2006, at St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula.

He was born Dec. 31, 1928, in Polson, to William G. and Ina L. Stewart Keller. He grew up and attended school in Polson, graduating in 1946 after which he joined the Marines for two years serving during WW II, working as a mechanic.

After his discharge from the military he attended photography school in Idaho and Seattle, before working for the Flathead Courier for a short time.

He opened his own studio in the former Security State Bank Building and then on Main Street calling it Keller Photo Shop.

He married Janet Graves and they had three children together before getting divorced. He later married Edith Steindorf and they one child, Douglas, and they later divorced. He also married Debra Sweeney, adopting a child, Theresa.

Bill worked as a mechanic for several years in Polson before selling the Texaco station that he owned in 1959. He worked for the Polson Plywood Co. mill in Polson for a short time before becoming the Park Photographer for Yellowstone National Park for 23 years.

He retired in 1984 but opened a small engine repair shop in Gardiner, and retired again in the spring of 2000, when he moved to New Mexico until September 2000 when he moved back to Polson. His hobbies were photography, hunting and fishing.

His parents, three half-sisters, Helen Mae, Dorothy and Betty Lou, preceded Bill in death.

Surviving are his five children, Theresa Michelle Dowd, Katherine Louis Chilcott, Clifford Leonard Keller, Kenton William Keller, and Douglas William Keller; 12 grandchildren; sister Janice Bellon, and half-sister Mayme Louise Naylor.

No services are planned at this time and cremation has taken place.

Memorials may be made in his name to the Adopted Grandparents program at Cherry Valley School, or the New Life Christian Center. Cremation and arrangements are under the direction of Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory, Polson.