Richard Keller
1941 - 2000
Richard Keller of Yakima was regarded as a true leader in the tree fruit industry. Born in 1941 in Yakima, he was raised and educated in Cowiche. He attended Highland High School graduating in 1959. Upon graduation, Mr. Keller attended Washington State University obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science in 1964.
Mr. Keller returned to the Yakima Valley where he began his service to the tree fruit industry. At the time of his death, he was the president of Northwestern Fruit & Produce and an owner of Upper Valley Farm Service Center and Keller Fruit.
He served on the board of directors for the Yakima-Tieton Irrigation District, the Yakima Valley Growers-Shippers Association and the Washington Apple Education Foundation. He was a commission of the Washington Apple Commission and held many other positions of leadership within the apple industry.
He was survived by his wife Patricia of Cowiche; two children, Julie and James; his mother Eleanor; a brother Raymond; and two sisters, Roberta Caffrey and Rosalinde Saunders.