Dorothy Kabelka Keller

Dorothy Kabelka Keller, dedicated volunteer, died on December 26, 2023. Mrs. Keller (Dot), a first-

generation American, was born in Columbus, Ohio on August 23, 1919. She married Charles Albert Keller

(deceased), a classmate in the Columbus Public School System, on November 1, 1941. After ending his

service in the Army, they relocated to Oak Ridge in 1946 when he entered employment with AEC.

A longtime resident in Oak Ridge, she was active in a multitude of organizations including the Girl

Scouts, the Oak Ridge Playhouse, the YWCA, and the United Church, Chapel on the Hill. She was a

charter member of the Oak Ridge Miniature Enthusiasts. Dot was fascinated with the making and the

collecting of doll house miniatures, and teaching those skills to children. She was also an active ORCMA

Guild member and a volunteer docent at the Children’s Museum. Other activities included reading,

preserving fruits and vegetables from an extensive garden, crafts, sewing, knitting, and bowling.

Although Dot enjoyed her volunteer activities, her family and home were considered her first loves. She

often introduced her children as her major accomplishments.

Surviving her are her daughter, Jacqueline K. Thompson (Sue); her son, Charles W. Keller (Becky);

granddaughters, Jennifer Rathbun (Rick); and Jillian Clarkson (Collins); greatgrandchildren Cora and

Elijah Clarkson; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service is planned for August 24, 2024 at the United Church Chapel on the Hill at 11:00 AM.

A luncheon reception at Calhoun’s Oak Ridge will follow the service.

The family requests that any memorial donations be made to The United Church-Chapel on the Hill, Girl

Scouts of Southern Appalachians, or the Oak Ridge YWCA.