Keith Landers

MONONA - Harold Keith Landers age 86, of Monona, passed away peacefully at his home after battling cancer on Feb. 17, 2024. He was the first child of Harold Edward Landers and Dorothy Marie Landers (nee Lusty), born in May 1937 at Milwaukee County General Hospital. Harold’s father was a laborer who had worked in the CCC Camps during the depression. He later worked at AO Smith Corporation and Schlitz Brewery on the assembly lines. His mother worked on the assembly lines at Globe Union Corporation manufacturing roller skates.

Keith, his sister, Norma, and his parents lived in Milwaukee, Wis., all of his growing years. He attended Pleasant View Grade School, Peckham Junior High and Washington Senior High School. His favorite school subjects were English, History, and Mathematics. His favorite activities were group sports--softball and basketball. Keith sang in the church choir and determined to enter the ministry of the Lutheran Church when he was in his early teens.  He graduated from Washington High School in Milwaukee.

Among his many jobs worked throughout high school, college, and seminary were: asphalt worker, packer at Kohl's food store, pinsetter in a bowling alley, bus boy, line worker at American Can Company, line worker at a box factory, and school bus driver.

Keith attended the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee and graduated from there in 3 1/2 years, majoring in History and English, and minoring in Philosophy. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from UW-M. In his second year at UW-M, he met Janet Evelyn Ahrens of Mukwonago, Wis., on a blind date. They continued to date and were married in the Congregational Church in Mukwonago (of which Jan and her family were members).  They had four children, Jeff, Kurt, Sheri, and Laura.

Keith attended seminary at Northwestern Theological Seminary of the UCLA in Minneapolis, Minn. He majored in Church History and Theology. He first served as a minister at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Beaver Dam and then taught at St. John’s Military Academy in Delafield. He served many years as a minister at Norway Grove Memorial Lutheran Church in DeForest and Christ Lutheran Church in Morrisonville.  After leaving the ministry, he worked at Central Wisconsin Center as an aide and finally at the University of Wisconsin Law School as a professional assistant.  Even though he spent many years in the church, in his later years he embraced a broader view of humanity and backgrounds and traditions.  He also developed and maintained a website celebrating different family rituals.

Keith loved sports. He bowled, played basketball, golfed, water skied, and spent many years managing and playing on softball teams throughout the Madison Area.  In addition, he refereed basketball and umpired baseball and softball for many years.  He biked to work at the law school from the east side of Madison 365 days a year, even in the coldest days of winter.  In his later years, he loved playing sheepshead, euchre, and cribbage at the Monona Senior Center.

Though he never learned to read music, he loved to sing.  He was in the choir at seminary and loved to sing the hymns in church.  He and his family sang for small events and spent many hours on road trips singing John Denver songs in the car.

Keith loved his seven grandchildren, Michael, Joshua, Jeremy, Rose, Jessica, Rachel, and Matthew, and spent many hours attending their performances and sporting events.

Keith was preceded in death by his parents, Harold and Dorothy; and his sister, Norma Bruss.  He is survived by his wife, Janet; his children, Jeff Landers, Kurt Landers, Sheri (Steven) Parker, and Laura (Don) Sime; sister-in-law, Laverne Ahrens; brother-in-law, Dick (Jan) Ahrens; and grandchildren, Michael Landers, Joshua Landers, Jeremy Landers, Rose Parker, Jessica Landers, Rachel Sime, and Matthew Parker.

A funeral service will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. A graveside service will follow at Roselawn Memorial Park. A visitation will be held at the funeral home from 10 a.m. until the time of the service on Friday.

We would like to give a special thank you to Joanne, Nicole, and Loretta and the other nurses and nursing assistants from Agrace Team that worked with Keith on his final journey on this earth.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be donated in Keith’s name to Madison School and Community Recreation (MSCR) Referee Department, (www.mscr.org/get-involved/donate/).

Much of this biography was taken from Keith’s website on family rituals found at

(https://familyritual.org/index.html).

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care

5203 Monona Drive

(608) 221-5420