Grace Keller

Grace A. Keller, age 84, of Alexandria, VA, formerly of Durham, NC, and Perrysburg and Versailles, NY, died Saturday, November 14, 2020 at Inova Mount Vernon Hospital.

Grace was born on March 6, 1936, in Buffalo, NY to the late Edmund A. Czwojdak and Anna F. (Polak) Czwojdak. Grace was married to John Keller, who predeceased her on August 1, 1995.
Grace graduated from Mercy Hospital School of Nursing in 1956, and passed her Registered Nursing boards in 1957. She spent the majority of her career at the J.N. Adam Developmental Center, in Perrysburg, NY, from where she retired in 1987. She attended St. Joan of Arc in Perrysburg, and later St. Joseph’s in Gowanda, NY. She was a member of the Versailles Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary and served as a registered election poll worker for the Versailles community.
Following visits to their children over a number of years, Grace and John felt the call of the South, and relocated to Durham, NC in December, 1993. While she lived In Durham, Grace was an active member of Holy Infant Catholic Church, where she volunteered in the parish office and participated in several ministries, including collection sorting, the food pantry, lector at Mass, and several others.
In October 2014, Grace moved to Alexandria, VA where she lived with her daughter Stephanie, and later at Paul Spring Assisted Living Facility where she was a well-loved resident and was active in many of the facilities’ activities. While she lived in Alexandria, she attended Good Shepherd Catholic Church where she was a member of the Seniors’ Group, the Stratford Landing Women’s Association, and the Hollin Hall Senior Center.
Grace was an avid reader, participating in several book clubs, and especially enjoyed history, spy and espionage, and animal stories. She also enjoyed traveling, working puzzles of all kinds, knitting, sewing, painting, and crafts.
Grace was predeceased by her husband, John in August, 1995, and is survived by her four children; Anne (Mark) Saulter of East Norriton, PA, Patricia (Michael) Patetta of Cary, NC, Stephanie Keller of Alexandria, VA, and Anthony (Catrin) Keller of Morrisville, NC. Also surviving are five grandchildren; Jennifer Patetta, Katherine Patetta, Natalie Patetta, Jonwyn Keller, and Anwen Keller; a sister, Barbara (late Frederick) of Greenville, PA; cousins Theresa (Joseph) Dombrowski of Buffalo, NY, and Frank Polak of Pittsford, NY; and several nieces and nephews.
A graveside funeral will be held 2:00 PM Saturday in Chapel Hill Memorial Cemetery, where Grace will be buried next to her husband, John. Arrangements are with Hall-Wynne Funeral Service.