Obituary of Lillian Rex Keller

Lillian "Lulu" Rex Keller, 82, of Howell passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 3, 2016. Lulu believed that "life is not measured by the breaths you take, but by the moments that take your breath away" and she had many breath-taking moments in her lifetime. Born in Roselle Park, Long Island, Lulu lived with her parents, Anny Henriksen and David Ash, and sister, Vivian in West Hempstead, Long Island. She attended P.S. 30 and after moving to Westerliegh, Staten Island, she graduated with honors from Curtis High School where she sang in the choir. After high school Lillian married the boy next door: Wilson A. Rex III, a tugboat captain and C&W musician. They had two children; Kristian, who was born on his father's birthday in 1952 and Karin, who was born on Mother's Day in 1960, just after the family moved to Winston Park in Howell, NJ. In Howell, Lulu was a proud founding member of the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, where she was a Vacation Bible School teacher and a volunteer in many capacities for more than five decades. God's love was one of the things that took Lulu's breath away. She always said he was "sitting on her shoulder." Lulu managed Howell Lanes for two decades, was an avid bowler, and taught the sport to many, including seniors and children with special needs. She was a Director of the Monmouth County Women's Bowling Association (1969-1973) and a member of the Women's International Bowling Congress, and bowled in more than 20 national tournaments across the US. She retired from Howell Lanes in 1986, when she married her second husband Bob Keller and they set off to travel the nation in their RV, wintering in Apache Junction and Bullhead City, AZ and Laughlin, NV. She met Bob while attending the Eastern Region Bowling Proprietors Assoc. conference in Atlantic City. His sparkling blue eyes were also one of the things that took her breath away and it was love from the start. Lulu's true calling was caring for people. She was called "Aunt Lu" or "Grandma Lulu" by generations of her many friends' children and was always there for all of them with comfort, advice or shelter. When she first moved to Howell, she volunteered for the ambulance squad. In her later years, she was a member of the Howell Women's Club and a caring hospice volunteer. This work also took her breath away and strengthened her faith in God and her love of family. Lulu was proud of her Norwegian heritage and was a member of Sons of Norway Lodge #3-439 in Point Pleasant since 1975. She loved visits from her Norwegian relatives and took her son and daughter to Norway for her 70th birthday to see her mother's homeland and visit with relatives. That trip was full of moments that took her breath away - not just by the sights, but by the laughter that always ensued when any of us tried speaking Norwegian, especially her favorite toast: "Ein skoal, dein skoal, alla ganska flickor skoal!" She last resided at Brandywine Senior Living in Howell, where she made very good friends, played piano in the parlor, and called Bingo. If you knew Lillian, you knew she loved the ocean and the beach, which never failed to take her breath away. She would like it if you would think of her whenever you hear the waves crashing on the beach. Lillian was predeceased by her 2nd husband, Robert Faust Keller in 1999. She is survived by son Kristian Rex of Howell Township; and daughter, Karin Rex and husband, John McGready of Lansdale, PA, as well as Kristian and Karin's father, her former husband, Wilson A. Rex, III. Additionally, she is survived by Kristian's children Faye Rex-Landsman and husband, Adam Landsman, Tess Rex, and Lucas Rex, as well as grandchildren and great grandchildren from Bob's side of the family: Gail (Keller) Markle, Karen (Keller) Chodikov and husband, Gary and their daughters Rachel and Madison; Bobbi (Keller) Pearce and husband, David and their children Lydia and Robert. Her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren took her breath away on a regular basis just by existing and she loved them all deeply. Lulu is also survived by many friends who were her chosen family. Flowers are welcome; however, in lieu of flowers you may donate to Holiday Express in Lulu's name. Holiday Express works year-round to deliver music, food, gifts, and human kindness to adults and children in need, including the mentally and physically disabled and children with serious illnesses. Donations can be made at www.holidayexpress.org or mailed to Holiday Express, 968 Shrewsbury Avenue, Tinton Falls, NJ 07724. Visitation will be held at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 434 Aldrich Road, Howell on Friday, March 11, 2016 from 6:00 to 9:00 PM. Relatives and friends are also invited to attend her funeral service on Saturday, March 12, 2016 at 9:30 AM at the church. Interment will follow in Old Tennent Cemetery, Manalapan Township. For information, directions or condolence messages to the family, visit www.claytonfuneralhome.com.