COLORADO SPRINGS - Marianna F. Keller, 98, passed peacefully on Friday, March 19, 2021 at Namaste Alzheimer's Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado.  She was born on October 14, 1922 at Emporia, Kansas, the daughter of Clark and Elizabeth Naomi (Stolfus) Fowler.

Marianna's parents moved from Emporia to a ranch in Southeastern Colorado when she was a child, and she spent the majority of her early childhood there.  In 1937 she moved with her family to Great Bend, where she graduated from high school in 1941.  She then pursued her nursing education at Newman Hospital School of Nursing in Emporia, where she graduated in 1944.  Marianna then decided to further her education at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Unfortunately, she contracted tuberculosis while working as a nurse and had to return to Dodge City to recuperate.  After she recovered, she resumed her career at St Anthony's Hospital, and also Trinity and Humana Hospitals. Marianna also was a nursing faculty member at Dodge City Community College.  She was actively involved in the founding of Hospice of the Prairie and served for 10 years as a Volunteer Hospice Nurse.

On February 15, 1944 she married Lt. William M. Keller, Jr at Dodge City.  At that time, nursing students were not allowed to marry and so they chose to get married secretly before he deployed to Europe during WW2.  Mr. Keller passed away January 29, 1996.  She later married Richard Henderson on May 14, 1999. Mr. Henderson passed away March 15, 2003.

She was a member of the Pikes Peak Christian Church, Colorado Springs; was a former member of the First Christian Church of Dodge City; Win-A-Couple Sunday School Class; RSVP; Keenagers; Senior Friends; Life Member of St Bernard Chapter #97 Order of the Eastern Star all of Dodge City; Florence Nightengale Club; and Life Member in District 19 Kansas State Nurses Association.

Marianna is survived by three sons, Dr William C. Keller and wife Janet of Seguin, Texas, David J. Keller and wife Hettie of Ft Worth, Texas, and Richard L. Keller and wife Barbara of Loma, Colorado; two daughters, Marta McKay and husband Gordon of Colorado Springs, Colorado and Marilou Keller and Lex Abadie of Wellington, Florida; a sister, Jane Verhoeff of Colorado Springs, Colorado; nine grandchildren and nine great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Donald and Joe Fowler; and two sisters, Betty Fowler and Barbara Lamborn.

Funeral service will be held at Swaim Funeral Chapel on Friday, March 26, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. with Pastor Nathan Keller presiding.  Burial will follow at Greencrest Cemetery in Dodge City.  Visitation will be at Swaim Funeral Chapel on Thursday, March 25, 2021 from 1:00 to 8:00 p.m. with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.. Memorials are suggested to Manhattan Christian College in care of the funeral home.  Thoughts and memories may be shared in the online guest book at www.swaimfuneralhome.com .