Mr. Paul Edward Keller, Sr. passed away on August 4, 2017 at Tennova Harton Hospital in Tullahoma, Tennessee. He was born in Washington, Indiana on June 15, 1936. Paul was the son of the late Anna Bernadine (Bordenet) Keller and the late Harold Alvin Keller, Sr. Paul was the second of eight children. He is preceded in death by brothers Joseph Elbert Keller and Harold Alvin Keller, Jr. Paul is survived by three brothers, David Leo (Emma Jean) Keller of Winchester, William Albert (Isabell) Keller of Sewanee, Bernard John Keller of Decherd, two sisters, Mary Louise (Robert) Lybecker of San Antonio, Texas and Patricia Ann Keller of Antioch, Tennessee. Paul was a 1954 graduate of Franklin County High School.
Paul was an entrepreneur his entire life and had a gift to gab and an intrepid spirit that served him well. One of his first jobs in high school was as a soda jerk at the Dairy Maid in Winchester, Tennessee. Along the way, Paul also sold insurance, operated a gas station, owned a retail store, and owned and operated the Keller Chrysler-Plymouth-Dodge Dealership in Tullahoma, Tennessee. Paul also served as the Executive Vice-President of the US Slo-Pitch Softball Association (USSSA). Paul was the lead plaintiff in an antitrust suit filed by late Senator Fred Thompson on behalf of the USSSA which broke a national monopoly by the Amateur Softball Association (ASA). As he moved into retirement, Paul’s final work was at the Dry Creek Beach facility – where he loved to meet people and ensure they had a good time on the beach.
As much as he was a businessman, Paul’s true passion was sports. In high school he played basketball and baseball at Franklin County High School. He went on to also briefly play baseball at Tennessee Tech. He coached Winchester Academy Basketball. Later in life Paul took up playing, coaching, promoting and organizing amateur softball. Paul used the “Tennessee Thumper” bat produced locally by Worth Manufacturing to promote the sport. For USSSA, Paul was very proud of organizing and overseeing all sizes of tournaments locally, regionally and nationally, including helping to found The Herald Chronicle Softball Tournament over 38 years ago – an annual benefit tournament which continues to this day. He took both his women’s and men’s teams, the Keller Roadrunners, to many state, regional and world championships. Paul made it a point to meet the best, like Joe Namath, Al Hrabosky, Lou Brock, Brett Favre, Archie Manning, Sandy Koufax, coaches Paul “Bear” Bryant, Marshall “Stick” Taylor, Johnnie Majors and Phil Fulmer among others. A charismatic man – Paul “never” paid any admission charges to any sporting event, including several Orange Bowls, Sugar Bowls, Peach Bowls, etc.
Paul is survived by two sons, Paul E. Keller, Jr. of Winchester and Christopher M. Keller of Greenville, North Carolina; three daughters, Marie B. (Bill) Bowman of Estill Springs, Tennessee, Mary C. “Peanut” (Burke) Hare of Brownsboro, Alabama and Meghan D. Leonard of Melbourne, Florida; six grandchildren, Blake Bowman, Autumn Bowman, Alexandra Hare, Catherine Hare, Axel Keller and Lilly Keller; two great grandchildren, Skyla Bowman and Evin Bowman.
Visitation with family members will be held on Tuesday, August 8, 2017 from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Daves-Culbertson Funeral Home. Funeral Mass will be held at the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Decherd, Tennessee on Wednesday, August 9, 2017 at 11 a.m. Interment will follow at Franklin Memorial Gardens.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to the James and Sue Douglas Memorial Scholarship Fund at Franklin County High School, the Alzheimer’s Association or the American Heart Association.
On line condolences can be made at www.davesculbertsonfuneralhome.com
