Joseph Winfield Keller

Joseph "Cork" Winfield Keller, Jr. passed away at his home on March 26, 2026.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Elynore and Joseph Keller, Sr., his beloved wife, Jo (Murphy) Keller, his sons, Gary and Joseph Keller, III, and his granddaughter Kimberly Keller. He is survived by his siblings, Jeffrey (Patty) Keller and Patricia (Ken) Cooper, his daughters, Gina (Chris) Zito, and Lisa (Matt) Glover, his grandchildren: Matthew, Dean, Daniel, Ashley, Joseph, Courtney, Jenna, and Grace, as well as his great grandchildren Killian, Brock, Keller, Marlee, Freya, Cooper, and Asher Jo.

Joe was born in Harrisburg, PA. He spoke often about moving frequently as a child, which may be why he made friends so easily and could strike up a conversation with anyone. He joined the US Air Force at a young age and was stationed in the UK, where he served in the military police and also boxed competitively (until his mother found out!). He met his future wife and her beloved family in and around London before returning to the states and settling in Cocoa Beach. He loved living near his parents, siblings, and his much-loved nieces and nephews.

He spent some time serving as a volunteer fireman in Indian Harbour Beach and was proud to be a part of the space program during the Apollo program and straight through the Space Shuttle years. He spent 30 years of his career at Kennedy Space Center, and had many happy memories of the friends he made during that time.

He earned a Master's Degree from Rollins College while working full time and helping to raise his family.

Although he always carried himself with confidence and liked to pretend to be a tough guy, he unabashedly adored babies and children and would go to great lengths (including his famous Duck voice) to make them smile or giggle. He had many pets throughout his life. He loved all animals and could never resist helping any animal in need, whether it was a stray cat, a turtle, an injured hawk - no animal was ignored. He also had fun bird watching, and became knowledgeable about many types of birds, especially in the southeast. Family members would sometimes call and describe an unusual bird they had seen, and 9 times out of 10, he could correctly identify it.

He was an excellent dancer, and loved entertaining or any social gathering. He was always happy to chat or debate and had a way of making people laugh. He made time for anyone who needed it and spent hours listening to any and all of his daughters' crazy ideas.

Joe was an avid athlete. After his boxing days, he loved to play basketball, softball, racquetball, swim, or go for hikes. He also spent many hours bike riding. He loved being active and being outdoors, whether it was the beach, the mountains, or just walking around the neighborhood.

He and Jo spent many hours watching football together, a passion they passed down to their kids (Go Dolphins!).

To his children, he was an anchor during any situation. Nothing felt insurmountable after talking to Dad. He always had a plan. It was easy for his kids to step into adulthood because of the solid foundation he gave them growing up. His character and integrity could not be questioned, and he worked hard at passing on a strong moral compass to his children.

The most important thing to Joe was to always be there for his family, to make sure they felt loved and protected. In his entire life, it was something he never failed to do.

It's simply not possible to describe the man he was and how much he meant to his family. The world feels a little less safe and a little less joyful without him in it. He will always be our hero, and will be deeply missed.