After a long, full and active life, Betty Keller-Holcomb, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, died peacefully on June 1, 2007 at the home of her daughter in Newport News, VA. Betty Lou received an R.N. degree at the Charleston Hospital School of Nursing. She served her country during World War II as a Captain in the U.S. Army Nursing Corps in England and Germany. She met her future husband, Paul Clayton Keller, in occupied Berlin. After the war, on Nov. 11, 1947, she and Paul began a 25-year marriage of Air Force military relocations and assignments to Wyoming, Mississippi, Washington, Florida, Japan, Washington, DC, London, England, and Germany. She worked as a civilian public health nurse for five years, raised three children, performed school and Girl Scout volunteer work, and maintained a beautiful home in which she was a renowned hostess. She was also an active leader in the Officers' Wives' Clubs at every military location.

Following Paul's death in 1972, Betty worked in geriatric nursing until she met retired Navy Captain/NASA engineer John "Jack" Kenneth Holcomb. After their marriage in 1976, they had a 13-year active retirement life, traveling across the United States in a motor home and visiting and entertaining friends and family at their home in Rockville, MD. After Jack's death in 1989, she spent time visiting her children and grandchildren. Betty loved animals, flowers, entertaining, music, decorating, playing the piano by ear, watching old movies, and telling stories. She was "Aunt Betty" and "Nannie" to several generations of children, related or not, and shared a special language with animals and children.

She was born on May 20, 1922 in Charleston, WV to the late Joseph Elmer McGinnis (1867-1932) and Lillie Catherine Trump-Clay-McGinnis (1977-1936), and raised in Mullens, WV. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husbands, Col. Paul Clayton Keller Sr. (Died in 1972) and Capt. John "Jack" Kenneth Holcomb, Ret. (1919-1989); an infant child, Trudy Keller (Deceased); grandson, James Loeper (Deceased); sisters, Delcie McGinnis-Carter (1905-Deceased), Gertrude "Gertie" McGinnis-Kerns (1910-1990), Mary A. McGinnis-Campbell (1913-1989), and Virginia McGinnis-Calhoun (1915-1994); half sisters, Lenora "Nora" McGinnis-Stover (1894-1974), and Gracie Clay-Freeland (1897-Deceased); brothers, William "Howard" McGinnis (1903-1966), Gilbert McGinnis (1908-1986); half brothers, William Jesse "Jess" McGinnis (1891-1968), William "Hobart" Clay (1900-Deceased); and her guardians, her half brother, Dennie Clay (1899-Deceased) & wife Adelaide Clay (Deceased).

Left to treasure her memories are her children, Connie Keller, Col. Paul Clayton Keller Jr., Ret., and Elizabeth Keller-Loeper; stepchildren, John Holcomb and Jenna Holcomb-Cooley; sons-in-law, Joseph Loeper and David Cooley; daughters-in-law, Margaret "Vicki" Keller and Christina Holcomb; grandchildren, Kathleen Loeper, Bridget Loeper,Tara Loeper, Tania Schmitt, Paul Keller, Andrew Keller, Stephanie Cooley, and Brian Cooley; great-grandchildren, Victoria Schmitt, Joshua Keller and Kyle Keller; sisters-in-law, Joanne Clay and Helen Rittenhouse; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins across the country.

Betty will be buried beside her husband Col. Paul Clayton Keller at Arlington National Cemetery on July 18, 2007. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. July 18, 2007 at the Fort Myer Chapel in Arlington followed by a graveside service with full military honors.