ABOUT US

Keller Lumber Company

Keller Lumber Company is a family-owned business located in Roseburg, Oregon. It was founded in 1952 by Clarence Keller and his eldest son, Dan, following the considerable relocation of their seven-person family from Northern Michigan. In January of 1952, the Keller family purchased a piece of land in Winchester, Oregon, that housed an old sawmill. The existing infrastructure would soon become Keller Lumber Company. In just six months, the sawmill was up and running. Within its first year, the mill cut approximately one million feet of lumber. Over time, the daily output continued to increase, as did the quality of its products.

By the late 1970s, Clarence had retired from the industry, leaving Dan as President of the company. Dan’s younger brother, John Keller Sr., became Vice-President. Initially, Keller Lumber was established as a fir mill. However, the fir industry took a severe downturn during the late 1970s, and Dan was faced with the difficult decision to convert the mill to cedar. He believed it was the last alternative to keep the mill running. At that time, the sawmill employed approximately 60 people, many of whom were family members. As the years passed and more equipment was added to the mill, additional skilled workers and crew members were required.

The Family Behind Keller Lumber

From its beginning in 1952, Keller Lumber Company has been built not only by the people who led the business, but by generations of family members who worked together to keep the mill running and help it grow. When Clarence and Olga Keller brought their family from Northern Michigan to Oregon, they began a tradition of family involvement that would continue for generations. Family members filled many different roles within the business, from working in the office and on the mill floor to scaling logs and overseeing the day-to-day operation of the sawmill.

First Generation

Clarence and Olga Keller were the first generation of the family in Oregon and the foundation of Keller Lumber Company. Clarence founded the mill in 1952 with his eldest son, Dan, helping establish the business during its earliest years. Together, they laid the groundwork for what would become a multigenerational family company.

Second Generation

The second generation played an especially important role in establishing and growing Keller Lumber during its formative decades.

Dan and Julia Keller dedicated their lives to the company. Dan succeeded his father as President and guided the mill through some of its most significant years, including the transition from fir to cedar in the late 1970s. Julia worked alongside him as Company Secretary and Treasurer and remained deeply involved in the business and its people.

Julius “Jule” and Mary Hansen were also an important part of the early Keller Lumber years. Jule served as the company’s Log Buyer throughout the 1950s, 1960s, and into the 1970s. His knowledge of the timber industry and relationships with local timber suppliers were an important part of the mill’s early years. At the end of the 1970s, Jule left Oregon and returned to Wisconsin to raise his family.

Wes and Judy Clark were another important part of the company’s early history. Wes was a key contributor to Keller Lumber throughout the 1960s and 1970s, helping the mill grow and develop during an important period of its history. In 1978, Wes left the mill to pursue a new life as a fisherman in Coos Bay, Oregon.

John and Corky Keller also contributed to the growth of the family business. John Keller Sr. served for many years as Vice-President and Log Scaler, developing a reputation throughout the timber industry for honesty and integrity. Corky worked in the Keller Lumber office during the 1970s and 1980s, contributing to the day-to-day operation of the business alongside the rest of the family.

Keith Keller served the company in several important roles, including as a Log Buyer and later as Mill Superintendent following Wes Clark’s departure in 1978. His knowledge of the timber industry and dedication to the mill made him an important part of Keller Lumber during a period of continued growth and change.

Together, these family members formed the foundation of Keller Lumber’s early years. Each contributed in different ways, bringing their skills, personalities, and dedication to a business that was becoming more than just a sawmill—it was a family enterprise built through hard work and shared commitment.

The Company Today

Today, Keller Lumber makes cedar fencing products, balusters, and specialty clear products that are shipped across the United States. The mill cuts a variety of cedar woods, including Red Cedar, Incense Cedar, and small amounts of Port Orford Cedar and Alaskan Yellow Cedar. Keller Lumber now employs close to 100 people and is the only cedar-only mill in the state of Oregon. The company sits on 6 1/2 acres with an additional 113 acres of back land.

Following in the footsteps of the company’s founders is the third generation of Keller Lumber. Dan and Julia’s son, Blane Keller, serves as Company President and Sales Manager. Mike Keller has taken over for his father, John Keller Sr., as Vice-President. Kirby Clark, the last third-generation member, serves as Mill Superintendent and Foreman.

With the new millennium came the fourth generation of family members into the business: Clarence Keller, Troy Keller, and Leah Ireland (née Clark). Their involvement continues a tradition that began with Clarence Keller and his son Dan in 1952 and has been carried forward through generations of family members who have worked together to sustain the company.

Keeping ownership and leadership within the family ensures the company’s continued strength, dedication, and commitment to its roots. Keller Lumber continues to operate today, allowing the market to help dictate its next move while remaining grounded in the values that have guided the company for more than seven decades.

Through changing markets, evolving equipment, and generations of family members, the Kellers have proven themselves in the timber industry as an established and prudent company, ready to meet the challenges of tomorrow while continuing the family tradition that began in 1952.

Honoring Those Who Came Before

The history of Keller Lumber Company is inseparable from the family members who dedicated their lives to building and carrying forward the business. Their contributions remain an important part of the company’s story and continue to influence the generations who follow.

Dan Keller passed away in November 2017. As the company’s founder alongside his father, Clarence, Dan guided Keller Lumber through significant changes in the timber industry and played a pivotal role in the decision to transition from fir to cedar—an important decision that helped ensure the mill’s future. For decades, Dan was the driving force behind the company, shepherding Keller Lumber from its early years into the modern era and helping build the foundation for the mill it is today. He was deeply respected in the timber industry and well loved throughout the community, remembered not only for his leadership and business sense, but also for the person he was.

Julia Keller, Dan’s wife, continued to serve as Company Secretary and Treasurer following his passing, maintaining her dedication to the family business until her passing in March 2023. She is remembered for her kind yet firm manner and the care she showed to the people around her. Julia was deeply loved by the crew at Keller Lumber, who for many years looked forward to the daily baked goods she brought into the office. Her years of service, warmth, and dedication represented an important part of the strength and continuity of Keller Lumber.

John Keller Sr., Dan’s younger brother and longtime Vice-President of Keller Lumber, also served as the company’s Log Scaler. He was highly respected throughout the timber industry for his honesty and integrity, building relationships based on trust and fair dealing. His reputation was so strong that log sellers were often willing to accept lower prices knowing they were doing business with John. He passed away in 2025, leaving behind a lasting example of dedication, integrity, and commitment to the family business. His son, Mike, continues in his father’s stead as Vice-President while also passing the torch to his son, Clarence Keller, carrying the family tradition forward into another generation.

John “Johnny” Keller Jr. dedicated his entire working life to Keller Lumber, following the same path of commitment to the family business as Blane, Mike, and Kirby. Johnny was a valued part of the mill and worked alongside his family throughout his career. He passed away in 2009, leaving behind a lasting example of dedication to his family and the company that remained such an important part of his life.

Keith Keller was an important part of Keller Lumber during its years of growth and transition. He served as a Log Buyer and later became Mill Superintendent following Wes Clark’s departure in 1978. Keith was one of a kind and was well liked by everyone who knew him. His knowledge, personality, and dedication made him an important part of both the family and the company, and his passing in 1997 was a tremendous loss for the Keller family and everyone at Keller Lumber.

The story of Keller Lumber is ultimately the story of a family that worked together across generations to build something lasting. From Clarence and Olga Keller’s move from Michigan to Oregon, through the many family members who helped operate and grow the mill, to the generations working at Keller Lumber today, the company remains rooted in family, hard work, integrity, and a commitment to doing things the right way.

More than seven decades after its founding, Keller Lumber continues to honor the people who built the company while looking toward the future. The family’s history remains a part of everything the mill does, providing a strong foundation for the generations still to come.