Obituary of Hans Keller

Hans Keller, 96, of Burnt Hills, passed away peacefully on August 23, 2017 with his three surviving sons by his side. Hans was born on May 28, 1921 in Berlin, Germany to William and Gertrude Keller (Balke). At the age of eight, he and his mother emigrated to the United States to join his father, who was employed as a tool and die maker at GE. Upon his arrival, he immediately enrolled in the Schenectady Public Schools despite not knowing any English. He graduated from Mount Pleasant High School. 

Hans first began working at General Electric as a mail boy during high school summer vacation. After graduating from high school, he obtained full-time employment at GE; grinding crystals, tuning them to the appropriate frequencies for use in aircraft communication as part of America’s war effort. At the same time, he enrolled at RPI in Troy, NY, taking night courses in the Electrical Engineering Department. Due to the significance of this work, he received several six-month deferments at GE’s requests. He eventually was drafted into the U.S. Navy. Because of his keen interest in electronics, he took and passed the Navy’s Eddy Test. This test was designed to identify recruits with exceptional math and science aptitude for enrollment into an accelerated electrical engineering course of study offered by civilian colleges and universities located across the nation. After attending Grove City College in Grove City, PA, Hans obtained his BSEE degree based in part upon his previously accumulated college credits earned at RPI. 

Following a stint at the Naval Research Lab in Washington DC, he was assigned to serve in the Pacific Theater of Operations aboard the light cruiser USS San Diego. He was discharged from the service in 1946 and returned to Schenectady and worked at GE. Hans’ 41-year career with GE included assignments in the company’s General Engineering Laboratory, the Research and Development Center and the Steam Turbine’s Electronic Control Section.

On February 1, 1947, Hans married the former Gerd Hansen in Brooklyn, NY. They started their family in Schenectady, eventually moving to Glenville in 1959, and to Charlton in 1972. Hans and Gerd were loyal members of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church since 1959. He was also involved with the Sons of Norway, the Scandinavian Forum, the German-American Club of Albany, and the VFW of Glenville. He was a proud entrepreneur.  He founded and successfully operated operated for over fifty years the business known as Communications Electronics, Inc., which served radio communications and alert systems of countless volunteer fire departments and emergency squads located throughout the Greater Tri-Cities Area. He and Gerd travelled the world during their 60-year marriage. 

He was preceded in death by his loving wife Gerd in June 2007, and beloved son Warren in January of this year.

Left to cherish his memory are his sons, Dwight K. (Ann) Keller of Beavercreek, OH, grandson, Samuel C. Keller of Panama City, FL, Glen E. Keller of Charlton, and John E. (Laura) Keller and granddaughters Rachel and Sarah Keller of Carol Stream, IL. His many friends and acquaintances will miss him greatly. 

Interment will be held at the Saratoga National Cemetery on Friday, September 22nd at 11:00 AM at 200 Duell Road, Schuylerville, NY. Memorial donations may be made in Hans’ name to the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 547 Saratoga Road, Glenville, NY 12302 or VFW Post 4660, P.O. Box 3, Burnt Hills, NY 12027; you may designate contributions to the VFW National Children's Home or the Voice of Democracy Scholarship (local event). Online condolences may be made at glenvillefuneralhome.com