Billee Keslar

Billee Jane Keslar, 93, of Holland, Michigan passed away on September 15, 2022 at her home. After living in Akron, Ohio almost her entire life, she went to live with her eldest daughter for the past four years.

Billee was born in Chicago, Illinois to Harold and Hilda Cochran on September 13, 1929. She graduated from Buchtel High School in Akron, Ohio. At age 18 she married Peter Keslar, her husband of 68 years, in July 1948 after he returned from serving as a Marine in WWII. The following year, the first of her four children was born. She dedicated her life to passionately loving and serving God, her family, her friends and in ministry to others. She was on staff at The Chapel in Akron, Ohio for 12 years organizing volunteers and in hospitality. She enjoyed sharing her faith in the Bill Glass Prison Ministry and served many years in the Christian Women’s Club. She was an International Auxiliary Representative in the Gideons International. She often said her greatest blessing was her family, and her greatest joy was that her family walk in the Truth and know Christ as their Savior. She loved to host missionaries, parties, Bible Studies, “Billee’s Bridge” and gatherings for family and friends. She loved having people in her home. She and Pete enjoyed traveling abroad on trips with friends and family. She loved playing tennis, hiking, working in her yard and sitting in the sun. In her later years, she never let blindness keep her from getting out and having adventures. She loved to read and in recent years listen to audio books. She was always up for going out to lunch, on a tandem bike ride or on a boat ride. She always had stories to tell and was a woman of prayer, Bible Study and generosity. She often remarked how incredibly grateful she was for her many blessings, how good God was to her, and that she knew God had a plan for her life. She leaves behind an incredible legacy as the family matriarch and will be dearly missed. As we celebrate her life, we also rejoice that she is at home with her Lord and Savior.

Billee is survived by her daughters, Kathryn (Jeff) Christensen, Kristine (Kerry) Kraker; sons, Craig (Linda) Keslar, Kevin (Liz) Keslar; 11 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; four nieces and one nephew. She is preceded in death by her husband Peter Keslar; sister, Barbara Heylock and her niece Connie Borbely.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 24 at 3:30 at The Chapel located at 135 Fir Hill, Akron, Ohio 44304.Burial will be at Rose Hill Cemetery in Fairlawn, Ohio. Arrangements are being made by Dykstra Funeral Home.

Memorial donations may be made to The Gideons International, Akron Central Camp, PO Box 1992, Akron, Ohio 44309.