Reverend James P. Keller, retired Presbyterian minister and lifelong activist for peace and social justice, died peacefully on November 10, 2024, of complications from Parkinson’s Disease. In his final days he was visited by numerous family members and friends from near and far, a tribute to how he created and cultivated deeply loving and lasting connections with others throughout his life. His family takes solace knowing that he has been reunited with his wife Gwen, who died last year after their nearly 66 years of marriage.

What makes an activist? For Jim, it was his deep Christian faith, his core understanding of right from wrong, an inner drive to fight for what is right, and an amazing level of courage knowing that he could literally be spit upon or worse in the fight.

The spiritual awakening in Jim’s quest for peace and social justice emerged during his influential years as a student at the University of New Mexico. He was an active member of a culturally diverse Christian Fellowship group, a remarkable thing for the 1950s. When one of its members, a graduate student from India, was refused service at a local restaurant, the group decided to act. They went to the restaurant with plans to peacefully walk out en masse when the students of color would be turned away. Before that could happen, an irate cook smashed a ketchup bottle over a black man’s head. After the injured man, and not the cook, was charged with disorderly conduct, so many students attended the court hearing to protest that the judge dropped the charges. Jim saw how a commitment to action could right wrongs, and ever after he was drawn to protest and march when he saw injustice near or far.

Other pivotal moments in his spiritual growth included attending the renowned Union Theological Seminary in New York; spending three months after seminary further preparing for the ministry on the Scottish island of Iona; and serving for two years as Assistant Minister in the Saint Columba Parish Church in Burntisland, Scotland. At Burntisland he led home meetings not only with people from the church but also unchurched members of the community. For the unchurched, the meetings weren’t intended to proselytize but to engender robust discussion around various issues. He found these meetings to be so powerful that he consistently instituted them in his subsequent ministries.

Those who knew Jim well knew his story of how he and Gwen, a childhood friend, entered a new phase of their relationship only days before his departure to Scotland. He loved to tell how they met for a cordial picnic lunch packed by his mother. After telling Gwen about his plans for Scotland, she asked how long he was going to be away. When he replied that it would be two years, she said, “Two years is a long time.” Those six words told him that she cared for him more than as a friend. They corresponded regularly while he was in Scotland and became engaged on Iona when she traveled to visit. Their marriage and partnership was an inspiration to many.

Jim’s diverse career was a source of great pride for him and his family. After he returned to the U.S., Jim and Gwen moved to the South Bronx, where for ten years Jim was the pastor at Morrisania Presbyterian Church. Jim threw himself into his job with typical enthusiasm and was engaged in both advocating for the community as well as ministering within the church. Jim’s drive for social action continued as a valued contributor to the 1960s civil rights movement and during a courageous and unpopular fight as a member of his district’s school board for test score transparency among largely-minority vs. largely white schools.

James Jr., Christian, and Jonathan were all born during Jim’s time in New York. Jim and Gwen purchased a plot of land on the island of Jamestown, RI and built a small cottage on it to provide refuge from the city for the family. The entire family treasured, and still treasures, spending time on Jamestown.

Jim next transitioned from serving in the Bronx’s primarily Black community to working with the Hispanic immigrant community in Lawrence, MA as Executive Director of GLEAM (Greater Lawrence Ecumenical Area Ministry). Concerned churches in the area had created GLEAM to support the Hispanic community and Jim answered the call. His work was to help the immigrants assimilate into the community and to launch programs to benefit the population. In one example, he was a founder and first board chair for the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center (GLFHC), which has since grown to include seven locations and has 68,000 patients, most of whom are Spanish speaking.

With the children grown and on their own, Jim and Gwen decided to make another big move. Jim took a two-year stint as interim minister at Melrose Presbyterian Church in Melrose, MA. They then moved to Cuernavaca, Mexico, to work in CCIDD, a retreat center where church members from the U.S. would visit to learn about the realities of Mexican life and the impacts that U.S. policies have on that region. They both loved their time there. Even though Gwen’s Spanish was rudimentary, she worked in the kitchen with local women and served as the resident nurse. Typical for Jim, he ventured into the community and started what became the Cuernavaca chapter of Habitat for Humanity.

The arrival of grandchildren brought Jim and Gwen back to the U.S. They moved to Jamestown full time. Jim led the board for the Providence Habitat for Humanity. He also served as interim minister in the Providence Presbyterian Church. They became long-standing members of a Tuesday morning Peace and Justice Prayer Group. They fell into a comfortable routine of family, friends, church, and, for Jim, sailing on his beloved Someday II. Eventually they moved to an apartment in Riverside, RI near his son Jonathan and his family. It was a great joy to frequently see grandchildren Andre and Melissa. Finally, they moved to the Anchor Bay at Pocasset Assisted Living Facility in Johnston, RI.

Jim was born on March 26, 1931, in Pago, Pago American Samoa to CAPT Walter S. Keller, USN, and Beatrice Stokes Keller. He largely grew up in Coventry, CT with his parents and two brothers. He is predeceased by his parents and his brothers Walter and Robert. He leaves behind son James P. Keller, Jr. and his wife Alisa Consalvi; daughter Christian Reynolds and her husband Scott Reynolds; son Jonathan Keller and his wife Vera Keller; grandchildren Stephen Reynolds, Daniel Keller, Laura Reynolds, David Keller, Andre Keller, and Melissa Keller; and many extended family members and friends.

Jim believed there was much for others to learn from his lifelong mission to serve, so he wrote his memoirs called Three Islands in My Life and Ministry. It can be purchased from Amazon.

Jim's family would like to express deep gratitude to the staff of Anchor Bay for the loving care, friendship, and support he and Gwen received in their last years and to HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center for their compassionate care of him and his family.

Memorial Service

A memorial service to celebrate Jim’s life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on January 11, 2025 at the Seekonk Congregational church in Seekonk, MA.

Donations

In lieu of flowers, please send donations in his name to the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center in memory of Reverend James P. Keller. Donations may be made online at GLFHC.org/Donate or mailed to Greater Lawrence Family Health Center, 1 Griffin Brook Drive, Suite 209, Methuen MA 01844. Please indicate your gift is a tribute to Reverend James Keller. Your generosity will help GLFHC continue its mission of providing world-class healthcare and support services to the most marginalized communities in the Merrimack Valley.