Pam “Mama” Keller—Dominican’s Greatest Gift

By LeAnn Vance

Tonight at 9pm on Channel 6, a very worthy recipient will be featured on the FOX 6 weekly news segment “Pass It On”. Dominican’s very own Pam Keller was nominated by Deena Ottoway, who works in Dominican’s business office, to receive $300 in cash and Keller’s reaction to this generous gift is priceless. FOX 6 news reporter Nicole Koglin shared with me her reaction to Keller after she received the gift. “When she walked in, I could already tell she was the greatest recipient. Her face confirmed what all the students were saying about her, and I’m glad we were able to make her day,” she says with a smile.

We all know her as the smiling face behind the desk that greets us every morning when we stumble groggily into school. I knew there was more to her though, so I decided to dive a little deeper. Let me tell you, this woman never stops working. Even as I was talking to her during our interview she was constantly helping people, greeting them sincerely with a “hey baby, how ya doin’,” interspersed with her contagious laugh. We all know how lucky we are that Mama Keller is a part of the Dominican family, but what brought her to all of us in the first place?

Growing up in Butler, WI with five brothers, four of them foster siblings, left a mark on Keller. She was raised in a very loving environment, and she has carried that with her ever since. Before she came to Dominican, Keller provided child care and volunteered. When she finally arrived here in October of 1996, she began living her dream. “My dream job is the one I have right now! I always wanted to have lots of children, and now I do!” she exclaims.

Away from Dominican, Keller is mother to four children whose ages range from 9 to 29. The oldest three, Sarah, C.C., and Zach are graduates of Dominican and are all involved in the arts: “Mary Gehr is so important to all of my children!” she says of the Dominican art teacher. Keller is so impressed that the lessons her three oldest children learned while at Dominican gave them a great start to their adulthood regarding their careers. It also instilled in them the need to give back to the community.

Her husband was very sick last year, but after two surgeries and copious amounts of prayers he is doing much better. His eventual recovery “never would’ve happened had it not been for the support we got from people here. I believe it’s because of the help with our roof, the meals, and all the prayers we received from the Dominican community. I cannot even tell you how grateful I am,” Keller gushes.

It is evident she cares deeply about her Dominican family. She arrives early to work every day and her number one job is to make sure she knows where everyone is at all times. “I get worried when kids aren’t in school. I have to make sure they are healthy, happy, and safe. I will call around everywhere I can until I find them,” she says.

The impact that Mama Keller has made at Dominican is enormous. Mama Keller is my own personal superhero. She is always there when I need someone to talk to, and she never ceases to amaze me with never ending energy. After talking to a few of her co-workers, it was obvious how much they all care about her since everyone I spoke with showered her with compliments. When asked what working with Mama Keller meant to her, Mrs. Ash replied, “I think it means coming in every morning to someone who is positive, outgoing, and always willing to help.”

Mrs. Supanich summed everything up beautifully. “She lightens everyone’s load. She always has a smile. She truly is a surrogate mother to every single student here—there’s a reason why she’s called “Mama Keller”. She is a nurse, she helps people remember things when they forget, she is a shoulder to cry on. She is a perfect example of what it means to be Dominican.” I completely agree with her. Mama Keller has impacted my Dominican High School experience in an unforgettable way.

As our interview drew to a close, she reminded me that “at the Keller house there is always a door open and a light on. Everyone is welcome at any time, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart. I’m so grateful and give thanks to God everyday that I am a part of Dominican.”

Let us remember to thank God for this precious gift—an authentic, good-hearted person, who lives to be a mother to us all. We love you Mama Keller, thank you for sharing your gifts with us.