Maria Ernestina "Tina" Keller (Sanchez) (90) of League City, TX, formerly of Effingham

María Ernestina "Tina" Keller (Sánchez) passed away peacefully on Thursday, August 15, 2024, at the Cottages at Clearlake, League City, TX surrounded by family and loved ones.

Tina was born September 21, 1933 in Leon Nicaragua to parents Eloy Sánchez Salinas (deceased 1952) and Maria Lourdes Ayón Dubon (deceased 1972). As a daughter of a Nicaraguan diplomat, Tina lived in European countries during her childhood years and as a young woman her father served as a Nicaraguan ambassador in Panama where she met and married Teddy Galen Keller from Effingham IL (deceased 2016). For many years Tina resided in Effingham Illinois raising three daughters, eldest daughter Janet Keller (deceased 2015). Tina served in various charities as a devout Catholic. She was Laity of the Franciscan Third Order, Teutopolis, IL and Eucharist minister at St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Effingham, IL. Her faith led her to spiritually touch the hearts of many individuals who to this day share wonderful stories of how she has changed their lives. Tina also inspired many foreign students serving as Dean of Admissions at St Mary’s of the Woods College, Terre Haute, IN, where she personally recruited students from her travels to Central and South America. Tina and her husband also founded a Foreign Exchange program for students living abroad and opened their home to many students over the years.

She is survived by her two daughters Charlene Keller Houston TX, Jennifer Keller League City TX, six grandchildren Orion Layton (wife Ellen) Billings MT, Justin Benwill (fiancé Robin Daniels) Kemah TX, Jolan Benwill, David Fishel (wife Bari), Louis Adler (wife Michelle) and Liba Stern (husband Todd) all residing in Houston TX, eight great grandchildren Beatrice Layton, Max Fishel, Elise Fishel, Oliver Stern, Fitz Stern, Teddy Fishel, Scarlett Adler and Layla Adler, sister-in-law Nancy Lewis, Sandspoint ID; Zihuatanejo MX, niece Florita Martínez Miami FL, and many nieces and nephews who she dearly loved.

A Funeral Mass will be held at Shrine of the True Cross in Dickinson, TX on August 31 at 12 noon viewable via FaceBook livestream https://www.facebook.com/ShrineoftheTrueCross" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.facebook.com/ShrineoftheTrueCross. Her final resting place will be next to her husband at Oak Ridge Cemetery Effingham, Illinois.