Section: 325 Lot: 32 Grave: 2

Obituary

Vivian Arlene Kellar, age 89 of Burlington, died at 9:10 p.m. Monday, April 12, 2021 at the Great River Hospice House.
Born August 15, 1931 in Danville, IA, she was the daughter of Homer P. and Dorothea (Lizzie Faesecke) Buxton. She married Donald Kellar June 10, 1951 at Danville Congregational Church.
Vivian graduated from Danville High School in 1949. She started waitressing at Hotel Burlington, starting at the age of 15. She worked in the Orchard Room, where she waited on Foster Brooks, Lydia Dankwardt and F. Albert Klein among other notables. She also worked at Burlington Golf Club, J.S. Schramm’s, and as a bookkeeper at West Burlington Savings and Ft. Sill National banks. Vivian worked as a Library Clerk for Southeastern Community College for 20 years, retiring in 1989.
She was a member and elder of Zion United Church of Christ, where she served as President and Vice-President. At Zion she also served as chair of the Christian Education Board, Youth Choir Director, Sunday School teacher, church choir member, and started the baby quilting group. The group sewed over 3000 quilt tops to send to the Shriner’s Hospital in St. Louis and knitted and crocheted hats and gloves for orphans in Romania.
Vivian was very creative and enjoyed painting, ceramics, and creating stained-glass art. She and Don made 10 stained-glass windows for St. Paul United Church of Christ in West Burlington, designed by longtime friend, Pat Latty. She was a member of King’s Daughters, the board and past Chair of SEIA Symphony, volunteer at Hopefully Yours, and member of Red Hats and PEO. She enjoyed working with youth and was very active in PTA, the Girl Scouts and Cub Scouts for many years. She was also named “Outstanding Young Woman” by the Burlington Junior Women’s Club.
Survivors include her husband of 69 years, Don of Burlington; three children, Janice (Lyle) Gibson of Burlington, Stephen (Judith Abraham) Kellar of Novi, MI, and Gayle Elliott of Cedar Rapids; seven grandchildren, Jason, Justin (Lizzie), and Jonn Gibson, Keelan and Kellar Elliott, Austin Kellar and Tessa (Kevin) Miller; five great-grandchildren, Conner, Carsen, Jenna, Ryan, and Chloe Vivian; several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Glen; infant brother, Corliss; and sister, Evelyn Cisna.
Private family service and interment at Aspen Grove Cemetery will be held this week. A public memorial service will be held Friday, May 28th at 12:30 p.m. at Zion United Church of Christ, preceded by visitation at 11:30 a.m., with a luncheon following services. Rev. Brice Hughes officiating.
Memorials have been established for Zion United Church of Christ and Burlington Community School District Educational Foundation.