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Alumna’s estate provides surprise bequest of $130,000
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NO graduate Marguerite Keller never contributed to the UNO Annual Fund. She pledged, mind you — $10 in 2001 — but Keller hadn’t been heard from since. Until, that is, the summer of 2006 when the executor of her estate called to say that Marguerite Keller had left the UNO Alumni Association an estimated six-figure bequeath. A 1943 Omaha University graduate, Keller died May 16, 2006, in Omaha. When her estate was settled earlier this spring, it left to UNO a bequest of $130,000, believed to be the largest single unrestricted gift in association history. “It’s a beautiful gift,” says second cousin Joan Holland. Keller’s gift — and life — are something of a mystery. She never married and had no children. Holland, who lives in Williamsville, N.Y., met Keller only “a half dozen times” and has limited knowledge of her cousin’s life. Only a few details are available as gleaned from Holland’s recollections, a scattering of Omaha University yearbook entries and information from Omaha Public Schools, for which Keller taught. Keller was born Nov. 13, 1921, in Cheyenne Wells, Colo. Sometime during the Depression, Holland says, Keller moved with her mother to live with Holland’s grandmother in Omaha. “My mother loved it because they became like sisters,” Holland says. Keller attended Omaha North High School, graduating from there in June 1939. She then attended Omaha University. The 1940 Tomahawk yearbook shows her as a member of the student orchestra. In 1941 she is pictured as a member of Kappa Mu Lamda, an honorary music fraternity. The 1943 yearbook of her senior year lists Keller as a biology major and member of Kappa Mu Lamda, the Chem-
Lost Alums - 1962
John E. Donohue Janet Larkin Doud James D. Douglas Joe E. Downs Jeanie Dreier Richard L. Duckwall Gail N. Durham Thomas E. Durham Richard L. Dussinger James J. Dworak Ronald P. Eckmann Ernest W. Ellis James M. Ellis Lee N. Elmer Elizabeth Vacek Evanoff Jeanne C. Evans William Farrell Stephen Farrier Frederick M. Fearon Lachlan M. Field Henry Fischer Sidney Fisher Donald E. Fitzharris Charles J. Flynn Lori Larsen Foderberg Robert G. Forrest Fredric G. Frost Daniel S. Fugit James L. Gaither
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Dale E. Garden Eugene E. Gardener Robert L. Geisel Donald Gillespie Derrell N. Gillingham Clinton H. Gillmore David N Gish James R. Glaze Andrew W. Goldman William C. Grammer Charles W Graves Judith Anderson L. Green Joseph K. Griffith Meryl A. Griffiths Donald B. Grimes Richard T. Gruber David Gueldner Janice B. Hall John Deen Hampton George E. Handley Carol Z. Hansen Owen Hansen Ronald M. Hansen Roy S. Hansen Karen Anne Harding Shirley Hasselquist Robert T. Hayden William F. Hayes Walter L. Hays
Willie M. Haywood Brice O. Headley Russell M. Heller Robert S. Hemstad Kenneth Henderson Joseph J. Herman Gordon C. Hermanson James D. Hill Laveda G. Hill Maurine L. Hill Harry W. Hite Thayer J. Hoff Forrest E. Holdcraft Joseph C. Holden Charles W. Holmes Arthur M. Holtorf Claren B. Hooper George J. Hooper John M House John B. Howse Thomas J. Hudson Gerald E. Hughes Harold E. Hutcheson Norman W Hyman Carroll C. Isaacs Georgia Reeves V. Janssen Ronald J. Jarvis Lynn L. Jefferies Melvin C. Jeffords
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Pre-med club, Independents, student orchestra and Sigma Pi Phi, an honorary education fraternity. She also made the dean’s honor roll. Her photo arrived to yearbook editors too late for inclusion in the “Seniors” section and so was included on a later page (pictured here). After graduating Keller began a teaching career that lasted nearly 40 years. She first taught Keller in 1943 Tomahawk biology, chemistry and Yearbook physics at Nebraska City High School from 1943 to 1945. After that she taught five years at Omaha’s Underwood High School. From 1951 to 1955 she taught at Omaha’s Central High school. During that span she earned a master’s degree from the University of Minnesota. Keller in 1955 moved to Chicago, where for two years she was involved in research at Billings Hospital. From 1957 to 1959 she taught for Chicago Public Schools. Another move came in 1961 when Keller taught at Mankato State College in Mankato, Minn., followed by more research at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. (1961 to 1964). Keller’s final teaching stint was from 1966 to 1980 at Southeastern Community College in Burlington, Iowa. “She worked her whole life,” Holland says. “I think she was an intellectual person. She certainly wasn’t an emotive person, but that’s just who she was.” Help us find these “Lost Alums” from the Class of 1962. Send news of their whereabouts to sgerding@mail.unomaha.edu
K. Martin Johnson Tracy N. Johnson Bruce D. Johnson Kenneth F. Johnson Lee C. Johnson Bernel Jones Elwin M. Jones Roy Jude Walter A. Jupp Carl W. Kappel Paul A. Kauttu Manfred Kelman John J. Kenney Richard A. Kiel Andrew C. Kirkpatrick Uldis Kirsteins Bernard S. Klebeck Ivon F. Klohe John A. Klose George Kramer Eugene Lail Joe B. Lamb Lowell H. Landre Eual J. Landry Carol L. Lanoue Phillip S. Larkin Edward D. Larsen Albert R. Laue John B. Lavene Mary E. Lawman
Joseph J. Lawrence William A. Lawrence Nunzio Lazzaro Lynn L. Lee Norman B. Leeper Grover H. Lewis George L. Liddle Gabrielle Linge Glen W. Linton Gordon J. Lippman Victor H. Lipsey Warren J. Lodge Francis S. Logan Arthur P. Lombardi Salthiel T. Lovelace Richard H. Lowery Paul J. Lucas Robert C. Ludwig William J. Ludwig John B. Lund Darrell Q. Lundgren Wesley J. Lynes Tallulah Lyons Jack Macfarlane Jaime H. Macinnis Bennie Howard Mann James Markiewicz Wallace S. Marsh John A. Martin Joseph W. Martin
Henry A. Marting Philip E. Mason Vernon K. Maxey William A. McCollum Donald O. McCulloch Wayne E. McDade Thomas A. McDermott Alfred J. McDevitt Frank McDowell David P. McDuffie William H. McGee Francis L. McKeever Mary Belle McKnight Ernest S. McNair Gordon E. McQuain Ernest L. Meeker William L. Meis Alfred L. Merrell Alvin C. Metcalfe Henry G. Miller William L. Ming Reid L. Molleston Howard M. Moore Judith Newman Donald C. Mulvanity Raymond Narushko Glenn E. Nations Amadeo Nazario Elvis J. Nelson Fred E. Nelson
Jack P. Nelson Raymond G. Nelson Jess E. Newland Ronald E. Nickerson Thomas H. Norton James W. Norwood John D. Noss Dorothy R. Novotny Charles L. Nowalk James P. Oconnell Richard Oshea Owen L. Owens Randall L. Parker Charles W. Parker Ava L. Peene Mary C. Pester Bruce W. Petersen Peter B. Petersen Charles W. Petterson William B. Phillips Walter R. Pierce Fremont Piercefield Dean S. Pixley Karen E. Plummer Noreen McNees Pool Wayne C. Porter Pat M. Potalivo Dean G. Potter Gerry J. Potter Elisha T. Powell
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