Lillian Keller Bloesch

Lillian Keller Bloesch, 91, of Greenwood Village, CO, died Sunday, January 2, 2011.She was born in St. Louis, MO, to Philip and Minnie (Weis) Keller, the fifth of six Keller daughters. The Keller girls were all amazing in their own ways, and Lillian retained a strong bond with her sisters as they grew older together. Lillian grew up in St. Louis and Webster Groves, MO, and was baptized and confirmed in the German Evangelical Church. While attending Washington University in St. Louis she pledged Alpha Xi Delta Sorority, and this sorority became one of many lifelong affiliations she maintained diligently. Not surprisingly she was also active in the youth work of the Webster Groves church, which is where she met Paul Bloesch, an Eden Seminary student with a rich family history in the E&R/UCC church. Paul grew up in Dyer IN where his father was a minister at the Dyer church, conducting services in German. The diary that Paul kept during his Eden Seminary days noted that while conducting youth meetings at a local church, he met a ""swell"" woman '"" Lillian, in the fall of 1937. They married in 1940, and the St. Louis girl started her life with Paul by immediately moving to a small town church in Little Falls, MN, followed by churches in Crown Point IN, and Oak Park, IL. They retired to Crown Point, and remained active in the ministry by becoming members at Zion United Church of Christ in Dyer, IN. At each church they served, Lillian and Paul gained a strong community of friends, but even after Paul died in 1995, Lillian, in her own unique ways, retained and nurtured these ties. It is most fitting that she will be buried next to Paul at the Dyer country church, surrounded by family and friends, while her life is celebrated at her last church home in Denver CO. In 2001 Lillian knew it was time to move on, so she closed up her house in Crown Point and moved to Denver to be close to her daughter Julie. She immediately joined First Plymouth UCC, where she received the intellectual and spiritual support she always craved. The book club, women's group, and church services gave her a new community of acquaintances which were there for her until the end of her life. After suffering a stroke in 2004, she moved to Heritage Club of Greenwood Village, where she lived until her death. Despite her physical limitations, she inspired the nursing home residents with her skits, greeting cards, clever Halloween costumes, and humor. Who will ever forget the mental picture of Lillian on a motorcycle for her last Halloween hurrah! Lillian's legacy includes four children: Cynthia ""Cindy"" (Ralph) Boester, Westport, CT; Julia ""Julie"" (Michael) Wadle, Centennial, CO; Mary (Tim) Cusack, Bloomington, IN; and Calvin (Christine Tani) Bloesch, Wheaton, IL; 10 grandchildren '"" Gregory Boester, Douglas Wadle, Eric Boester, Alison Wadle Corrigan, Eryn Cusack, John Wadle, Sarah Bloesch, Emily Bloesch, Mary Wadle Mendelsberg, Corey Cusack, and 9 great-grandchildren - Cole Boester, Elise Wadle, Wyatt Boester, Owen Corrigan, Samuel Wadle, Rhodes Boester, Dylan Boester, Kate Corrigan and Emma Wadle. Service of celebration of Lillian's life: Sunday, January 9, 2011, 4:00PM, First Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ, 3501 S. Colorado Blvd., Englewood 80113. Burial of ashes with graveside commemoration: Zion United Church of Christ, date to be determined. Memorial Donations to First Plymouth UCC, 3501 S. Colorado Blvd., Englewood, CO 80113 or Zion UCC, 14804 113th Avenue, Dyer, IN, 46311.