Jack B. Keller Jr., Lieutenant Colonel, USAR (Retired), 75, passed away on Sunday, September 13, 2020, at his home in Pleasanton. He was born on December 30, 1944, in Lake Charles, Louisiana to the late Jack B. Keller, Sr. and Rosalie Robertson Keller.
Jack was a brilliant man who enjoyed life to the fullest. He was a former Russian History Professor at Colorado State University before he began his career with the United States Army. During his military career, he served in numerous capacities from Special Forces Operational Detachment Commander, Counterintelligence Instructor, and Strategic Intelligence Officer. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with OLC, Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal with 2OLC and the list goes on. He was a dedicated man, who loved his country and what it stood for.
After retiring from the Army, he pursued his love for writing. After moving to Pleasanton, his love for history and his enthusiasm for writing was the driving force behind his desire to create a website on the history of Pleasanton. Winemaking was Jack’s passion in his later years and he could make wine from just about anything. Jack served six terms as the President of the San Antonio Regional Wine Guild and was a certified home wine judge. He has written and published several books, wrote numerous articles for the WineMaker Magazine, was the creator and author of The Winemaking Home Page, and of Jack Keller’s WineBlog, the first wine blog on the internet, ever, as well as the largest. Jack genuinely loved to express himself through the writings of all things. But alas, Jack also enjoyed the slower times of life where he could settle down, listen to nature and enjoy fly fishing.
Jack is survived by the love of his life, his muse and wife of 25 years, Donna Keller, whom he married on his 50th birthday. He is also survived by his sons, James Keith Pilling, Troy Pilling and Scott Ray Pilling; three grandchildren; brothers, Larry, Keith and Barry Keller; and his sister, Barbara Garner.
Jack will be buried at Ft. Sam Houston pending a date.
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