Tenth Letter of the Alphabet: Comics: Rick Keller, Letterer

Richard Jack “Rick” Keller was born on October 3, 1953 in Reading, Pennsylvania. His middle name was in a Public Records Index at Ancestry.com. Keller’s parents were Jack R. Keller and Phyllis Ann Bolig who married on March 3, 1951. Keller’s siblings were Robert and Scott.

While in high school, Keller lettered some of his father’s comic book work for Charlton Comics. He was fourteen or fifteen years old when he lettered the story, “Pursuit of the Transparent Man”, in World of Wheels #19, February 1968.

Surf n’ Wheels #4, May 1970

Surf n’ Wheels #6, September 1970

Evidently Keller’s last lettering job was “Pruning the Pros!” in Hot Rods and Racing Cars #114, May 1972. His credits are at the Grand Comics Database.

In June 1971, Keller graduated from Mount Penn High School.

1971 Penn Alma yearbook

The Reading Eagle, August 29, 1971, said Keller was to continue his education at Pennsylvania State University’s Berk Campus. According to the Eagle, March 4, 1976, Keller earned a Bachelor of Science degree in health and physical education.

The Eagle, April 3, 1978, said Keller was a teacher at Berks County Intermediate Unit. Keller was the Mount Penn Playground leader and volleyball coach of the Mount Penn Junior Coed Team, which was county champions in 1978, as reported in the Eagle, August 11, 1978.

Keller passed away on April 20, 2022. An obituary appeared in the Eagle, April 22, 2022, and repeated at Kuhn Funeral Home & Crematory, and Legacy.com.

Richard “Rick” J. Keller, 68, passed away on Wednesday, April 20, 2022 in his Reading residence after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

Born in Reading, he was a son of the late Jack and Phyllis (Bolig) Keller. Rick graduated from Mt. Penn High School and The Pennsylvania State University. He funded his college education by lettering comic books for his father. Rick was employed as a Special Education/Physical Education teacher by the Reading School District and Berks I.U. for 37 years until his retirement in 2012.

Many will remember Rick as a Mt. Penn playground leader, a baseball and volleyball mentor as well as timekeeper at Mt. Penn High School basketball games. He was also a junior varsity soccer coach. Rick was a 2015 inductee in the Mt. Penn Athletics Hall of Fame.

Rick was active as a volleyball referee in PIAA, USAV, NAGWS and community co-ed volleyball. For many years, he participated in street hockey, volleyball, slow-pitch softball and golf. He enjoyed playing golf until the very end.

Rick liked to renovate his home and create a beautiful outdoor living space. He regularly attended the Trans Am Nationals and won awards for his 2002 Pontiac Firehawk. He was a Three Stooges fan as well as an avid “Leave It to Beaver” devotee.

He was a life-long American patriot and a constitutional scholar.

Rick is survived by brother, Robert Keller and his wife Lynn of Portland, CT; nephew, Michael Keller and his wife Jacqueline of Farmington, CT; and cousin, Philip Riegel and wife Kathy of Pottstown. He was predeceased by a brother, Scott Keller.

Visitation will be Wednesday, April 27, 2022 from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc. 739 Penn Avenue West Reading, PA 19611.

In lieu of flowers, please plant trees in your community and/or support youth sports and animal rescue groups in your area.

Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc. is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be recorded at www.kuhnfuneralhomes.com.

Keller was laid to rest at Forest Hills Memorial Park.