Esther Keller, formerly of East Hampton, died of congestive heart failure on June 16 at the Trustbridge Hospice in Delray Beach, Fla., just a few days shy of her 95th birthday.
Terry Keller, as her friends knew her, was born in Brooklyn on June 22, 1927, to Paul and Mary Cea, immigrants from Italy. They raised their family in Brooklyn.
She and Jules Keller were married in July 1948. They lived for many years in Brooklyn before moving to East Hampton Village in 1966, settling on Boxwood Street. She worked at E.T. Dayton Insurance here.
In 1993, the Kellers retired to Boynton Beach, Fla., which had been “a lifelong dream,” her family wrote. With friends new and old from both New York and Florida, they enjoyed socializing, bowling, playing cards, and cooking. Mr. Keller died in 2005, and Mrs. Keller continued to live in Boynton Beach.
Her sons, Michael Keller of South Burlington, Vt., and Richard Keller of Naples, Fla., survive. They fondly recalled large, extended-family gatherings with “lots of Italian food as well as late — or all — night poker games.” Their mother was a loving and family-oriented person, they said, who easily made friends.
A fan of the New York Yankees, Mrs. Keller would often host friends to watch games; one of her birthday celebrations was held at the new Yankee Stadium. In 2017, the family celebrated her 90th birthday with a gathering in North Carolina’s Outer Banks, that included grandchildren, their spouses, and great-grandchildren.
In addition to her sons, Mrs. Keller leaves four grandchildren, Jaime Cain of Clarence, N.Y., Cheryl Manolakes of South Setauket, Kyle Keller of Stoneham, Mass., and Alexandra Keller of Hanover, Mass. Six great-grandchildren, Liam, McKenzie, Nicole, Ashley, Jake, and Theodore survive as well. She also leaves two sisters, Rosalie Alexander of Clifton Park, N.Y., and Marie Marcucci of Staten Island, and numerous nephews and nieces. Two brothers, Paul Cea and Frank Cea, and a sister, Angelina Cea, died before her.
A graveside service for Mrs. Keller will be held at Calverton National Cemetery on a date to be announced. The family has suggested memorial donations to the Trustbridge Hospice, Delray Beach Medical Center, 5360 Linton Boulevard, Delray Beach, Fla., 33484-6514.
