Claude Emile Keller

Claude Emile Keller passed away peacefully on September 5, 2026, due to complications with ALS. He was 71. Born in Eunice, Louisiana to Geraldine (Gerry) and Reginald Keller, he is survived by his wife Yvette, son Ryan and wife Kelly Keller, daughter Jessica and husband Luke Leahy, son Andrew and wife Nicole Keller; six grandchildren - Grace, Owen, Isaac, Amos, Shane and Frederick; sisters Ginger Gannaway and Gayle Keller and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

As a youth, Emile attended St. Edmund Catholic school in Eunice for grades 1-12, where he enjoyed playing tennis, football, basketball and track. A favorite childhood pastime was spending time on the bayou with his Uncle Jake, visiting the Keller Camp on the Calcasieu River and watching movies and working as a projectionist at the Queen and Liberty theatres in Eunice.

After graduation, he attended LSU to study architecture. It was at LSU that he met and fell in love with Yvette. She was in the Kappa Delta sorority, and Emile was employed as a bus boy in the KD sorority house, where Yvette lived. She noticed him for his friendliness and striking blue eyes, and they bonded over a shared affinity for dancing.

Emile and Yvette married in Morgan City, La, on May 14, 1976, then moved to Dallas, TX in 1980 where they raised their 3 kids. Emile was very involved in his kids’ lives, coaching their sports teams, driving them to games and tournaments on the weekends, attending choir concerts, academic competitions and piano recitals, driving to family vacations on the white sand beaches of the Florida panhandle, and making regular trips to Louisiana for holidays. He also attended the beloved family crawfish boils and proudly continued the tradition in Dallas.

Emile began his career as an architect in New Iberia, La, and went on to work with several architectural firms before transitioning into construction management. He later joined Structure Tone, where he spent more than 20 years before retiring in 2023.

Emile’s favorite thing was being with family and friends. He was incredibly social and had a knack for putting anyone at ease and making friends everywhere he went. He loved gathering around a table for food or cards. Known to the younger generations as PaPa, the Master or the Tricker, Emile delighted in his grandchildren, nieces and nephews and was silly, playful, patient and generous.

Emile was a devout Catholic his entire life. His faith and faith community were important to him, and in retirement, he regularly attended prayer groups, men’s groups and senior lunch groups at his church and community center.

Emile is preceded in death by his parents, Gerry and Reginald, his sister, Kelly, and brother-in-law, Chris Scarfi. A visitation is scheduled on Monday, September 21, 2026, from 8:30am – 9:30am at Lucas Funeral Home in Keller, TX, followed by a Rosary at 10:00am and a Mass at 10:30am at St. Elizabeth Ann Seaton Catholic Church in Keller, Texas. 

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Edmund Catholic School R.A. Keller Memorial Foundation. Emile played an instrumental role in establishing the foundation in honor of his father, R.A. Keller. The foundation provides financial assistance to students at St. Edmund Catholic School, helping ensure that a Catholic education remains accessible to all who seek it.  

St. Edmund Catholic School Attn: R.A. Keller Memorial Foundation 351 W. Magnolia Eunice, LA 70535.