After being a part of faculty and staff at Bluffton for more than 30 years, Randy Keeler is finally saying farewell when he retires at the end of this spring semester. He has preliminary plans to help with his kids and their families, continue to referee high school soccer, camp over the summer and travel on planned trips.
“I don’t want to be too committed to the first year [of retirement],” said Keeler. “We’re going to see what comes up, who knows.”
Keeler is a Bluffton alumnus with a degree in health, physical recreation and church work. He added a church work major when he felt called to work with youth. This then followed him receiving his master’s degree in 1986 in Virginia. Following that he became Eastern Pennsylvania Conference Youth Minister until 1991.
After 1991 he was invited to apply at Bluffton University for the campus pastor position. Keeler took on many roles in the midst of being campus pastor until 2006. He was also the men’s soccer coach for 10 years. Keeler says he is still the coach to have the most career wins.
On top of being both campus pastor and men’s soccer coach, Keeler then continued to study in a doctor ministry program from 2003 to 2008 all while teaching at Bluffton University. He then became a full-time professor in the religion department until 2017 when he became Associate Dean of Academic Affairs.
“Through all this my wife has been incredible. We look back on this and think how in the world was I campus pastor, teaching and also the men’s soccer coach,” Keeler joked.
To where he thought he would live and die in eastern Pennsylvania, Keeler came to Bluffton instead, where he has led and ministered to many students.
“I kept feeling this compulsion, I’m not sure what it was and I can’t explain it,” said Keeler. “But I really felt called to do this.”
He went on to say, “I do not regret being here at Bluffton at all. It was a great move for my family and a great place to raise our kids. They have a great education here at Bluffton. Who knows what it would’ve turned out to be if we stayed [in Pennsylvania].”
While he may not be as involved now as he was through his years at Bluffton, Keeler still continues to fulfill his mission statement.
“I want my mission to be for everyone to realize their potential in the kingdom and not what they can get out of life themselves but more of what they can give away that helps them to align themselves for God’s purposes and God’s kingdom.”
From being campus pastor, to the men’s soccer coach, to teaching and associate dean, Keeler has demonstrated his mission here at Bluffton. While he said he was sad about leaving, he is grateful for the “wonderful relationships he has built with students over the years.”
Through the relationships built, Keeler is onto his next chapter of life.
“What enabled me to do what I did was Don Schweingruber,” said Keeler. “Elmer Neufeld, too, of course. They had a lot of faith in me and made a lot of things possible for me.”
