Robert J. Keller

Robert James Keller, 67, of South Jamesport, New York, died suddenly on July 14, 2022, at his family home.

Mr. Keller was born in New York City to Robert O. and Gloria J. (Troop) Keller.

He is survived by his wife of more than 29 years, Georgette (Lauzier) Keller; children Grace and Nina Keller; a granddaughter, Maeve Kennedy Keller; his mother, Gloria Keller; a brother, John (Bernice) Keller; and a sister, Suzanne (Timothy) Kelly; as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his father, Robert O. Keller.

He graduated from Archbishop Molloy High School High School in 1972 and St. John’s University in 1976. He was an avid writer, gourmand, beachgoer, boater and traveler.

Mr. Keller was a Long Island Rail Road conductor before he retired in 2004 and started what he’d dreamed of for so long: a life dedicated to his family, his community and soul music. He researched, wrote about and preserved music history, chronicling the musicians who recorded at music studios in the great cities of America — most notably Memphis, Nashville and New Orleans. He embarked on many projects to organize and digitize primary sources and musicians’ experiences to record their histories. He shared his passion for music through his website as the Soul Detective, using the nom de plume Red Kelly.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his honor may be made to any of the following entities:

St. Isidore Food Pantry, 622 Pulaski St., Riverhead, NY 11901, 631-727-2114;

Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum, P.O. Box 23655, Nashville, TN 37202, 615-244-3263, musicianshalloffame.com/donations; or St. Gabriel Mercy Center, P.O. Box 824 (Mailing), 503 W. Martin Luther King Drive, Mound Bayou, MS 38762, 662-741-3255, saintgabrielmc.org/donate.

The family will receive visitors Wednesday, July 20, from 4 to 8 p.m. at McLaughlin Heppner Funeral Home in Riverhead. A funeral Mass will take place at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, July 21, at St. Isidore R.C. Church in Riverhead, with burial immediately following at St. Isidore Cemetery.

This is a paid notice.