Walter David Keller Chair of Department – 1943

Walter Keller, one of many beloved chairs of Geology, began his duties with the department in 1943. He was from North Kansas City and grew up on a farm, but did well in academia and ended up with two bachelors, two masters and a PhD, according to “A Century of Geology at the University of Missouri,” provided by the Department of Geological Sciences. All were in Geology.

He was fascinated with clays and clay minerals, the report said, and had a thirst for learning. He was well loved at Mizzou, as a teacher and chair, and his office was covered with certificates, plaques, and medallions from more than 50 “citations,” a noteworthy contribution for the time.

“I don’t teach geology,” he once said. “I teach students.” He left his chairship in 1945, but continued work as an active faculty member and professor emeritus.

In fact, he was so prestigious, the Keller Auditorium was named after him, in recognition of his great work, in 1981. It is housed in the Geological Sciences Building where geology now resides.

He was a famous clay mineralogist,” said Kevin Shelton, former department chair (2004-2014) and long-time member of the geology department. “He worked on mines and rocks from which clay minerals were developed. You don’t have a steel industry if you don’t have a clay industry. The clay industry used to be a big industry in Missouri.”

Keller was also responsible for modern day ice cream, said Shelton. “Allegedly, he worked out the crystallography of ice cream – so when you transport it, it doesn’t recrystallize and become all grainy and creamy.”