Many will know Dennis Keller through his support of and contributions to the Gordon Research Conference on Statistics in Chemistry. It is with deepest regret that I report that Dennis passed away on October 24, 2001, apparently following a massive heart attack. Our meetings are only one place where this great man will be missed. The following obituary appeared on amstat.org.
On October 24, 2001 the statistics community lost a skilled and respected colleague. Dennis J. Keller, founder and president of RealWorld Quality Systems, Inc. was a statistical and quality consultant, author, trainer and problem solver. He was 46 years old.
Dennis Keller held an undergraduate degree in Mathematics and Chemistry from Ohio Wesleyan University (1977). He was cofounder of Ohio Wesleyan's Chapter of the Chi Phi Fraternity. At graduation, he received the highest graduating award for top honors in all sciences, and he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. While working at the research center at Durkee Foods, he earned a Master of Science Degree in Applied Statistics from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio (1982).
Dennis J. Keller began his career in statistics and quality at Durkee Foods where he took a position in the research and development (R&D) organization in 1977. In 1982, Dennis joined the Statistics and Computer Aided Research Group at the B. F. Goodrich Company (BFG) located in Avon Lake, Ohio. Although his title was R&D Statistician, he worked closely with all facets of the business. He enthusiastically supported projects, developed and taught training courses in elementary and advanced statistical methods, statistical process control (SPC) and quality concepts and applications.
Led by his passion for teaching and his desire to improve the efficiency and reliability of research efforts of the technical community, Dennis left BFG and founded RealWorld Quality Systems, Inc. (RWQS) in 1992. RWQS is a statistical consulting firm with a focus on both consulting and teaching. The Technical Professionals Series of training courses authored and taught by Dennis Keller were well received. While at BFG and RWQS, Dennis coauthored more than 20 published technical papers and was coinventor on a U. S. Patent (1987).
Always enthusiastic about statistics and quality, Dennis was a consummate problem solver. He is well remembered for his unfailing efforts to get to the root of a problem, and his ability to present methods and their results in a non-threatening and understandable manner to anyone. As colleagues we spent many frustrating and happy hours together struggling to find the most practical solution for the scientist and the best statistical solution for us. Dennis consistently challenged himself and others to consider all aspects of a problem and try new ideas. He never hesitated to change the way he'd performed an analysis for years if he found a better, more valid method.
For Dennis statistical investigations were always fun. If he had just solved a particularly difficult problem and wanted to tell you about it, his usual approach was to ask for a moment of your time, close your office door, turn, and with a broad smile announce, "For the next ten seconds I'm the smartest man in the world." He would then proceed to the blackboard and give his audience a data point by data point description of his latest success. Those of us who had the pleasure of participating in these shared moments of statistical triumph with "Dr. Q-Ball" remember them not only as a time of delightful statistical give and take but also as occasions for possibly rethinking an approach to a problem of our own.
To grow technically and broaden his knowledge, Dennis Keller frequently attended conferences locally, nationally and internationally. Dennis thrived on the new knowledge and ideas presented at conferences. He regularly attended the Gordon Research Conference on "Statistics in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering". In recent years he was a conference moderator and always a lively discussant. While performing serious duties at the Gordon Conferences Dennis made sure to take time to relax. He started the GRC Limerick tradition at the conference and for many years singing submitted limericks to the accompaniment of Dennis's skilled piano playing was the highlight of the Thursday night talent show.
He was an active member of the Cleveland Chapter of ASA. Dennis was Chapter President in 1988. He was instrumental in developing and participating in the Chapter's Speaker's Bureau. The Speaker's Bureau keeps a current list of speakers and their topics in the event that anyone outside of the statistics community would be interested in a talk on some aspect of statistics. He participated in the annual statistics poster judging and acted as a science fair judge representing ASA interests in a number of Ohio State Science Fair competitions. He was on the Chapter's Sesquicentennial Committee and he was an active participant in the Chapter's annual Spring Conference. Along with his wife of 18 years, Dee, Dennis was also involved with his community, most recently volunteering at the Learning Center at St. Augustine's Church in downtown Cleveland. He was a valuable member of the Cleveland Chapter and the Cleveland community and will be profoundly missed.
Submitted by Robert S. Butler and Ann Giovannitti-Jensen
I find that the only pictures I have of Dennis from this year's conference are rather silly ones, showing him MC-ing and performing for the Talent Show. As humble as he was, perhaps that's how he would prefer to be remembered. But for me he was also the quintessential GRC moderator: his sense of humor set just the right tone to ensure a friendly yet probing discussion, to which he often contributed significantly himself. And he was a great friend. I will miss him.