Kenneth B. Koeller

Kenneth B. Koeller was born in Ridgefield Park, NJ on St. Patrick’s Day in 1932.  He was a lifelong resident of Bergen County, New Jersey.  He excelled at football, basketball and baseball at Ridgefield Park High School before transferring to Fork Union Military Academy in Fork Union, VA.

After graduating from Fork Union Military Academy and the University of Maryland, he taught school for one year and then followed his brother, Norman Koeller, to work for his father, Alfred H. Koeller, in a startup business, Koeller Air Products.  He learned entrepreneurship and developed a natural talent for sales.

Years later after his father’s death he and his brother sold the business to Messer Griesheim and Mr. Koeller started Yankee Propane in Florida, New York.  Beginning with two friends as customers, he, along with his future son-in-law Peter Guerci, grew the business to deliver propane to residential, commercial and industrial customers in five counties in New York and New Jersey.

Not content with the northeast, Mr. Koeller and his other son-in-law, Ronald Mitchell, started Virginia Propane in Ashland, Virginia.

In 2017 both Yankee Propane and Virginia Propane were sold to Superior Plus Energy, a Canadian company.

He was a lifelong member of Masonic Lodge #203 in Clifton, NJ.

Mr. Koeller died on April 14, 2022 at the age of 90.  He was predeceased by his first wife Betty.  He is survived by his wife Nancy, his brother Norman, two daughters Karen Mitchell and Patti Guerci, twelve grandchildren and step grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Visiting will be held at Vander Plaat Funeral Home, www.vpfh.com, 257 Godwin Avenue, Wyckoff, NJ 07481 on Tuesday, April 19, 2022 from 2:00 – 4: 00 and 7:00 – 9:00 PM.  Funeral Services will be held at Hawthorne Gospel Church, 2000 Rt. 208 N, Hawthorne, NJ on Wednesday, April 20, 2022 at 10:30 AM.  Burial will follow at Hackensack Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Shriners Hospital for Children, ATTN: Processing Center, P.O. Box 947765, Atlanta, GA 30394.

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