Sylvia Lucile Keller (Paulson), age 95, of Fargo, North Dakota, passed away on July 30, 2026, in her home with family.

Born in 1930 during the Great Depression in Benson County near York, North Dakota, to Nels and Inga Paulson, Sylvia learned resilience and independence early in life. After high school, she worked for Bell Telephone in Rugby. At 16, she traveled by train to Portland, Oregon, to visit two sisters who had relocated to support the war effort in the shipyards. In 1951, she moved to Los Angeles, traveling between Portland, Seattle, and the Los Angeles area while her husband was deployed to Korea. She married in 1952 and settled in San Fernando, California, where she began raising her family. Following her divorce in 1967, she moved with her children to Portland, Oregon, and worked for Northwest Bell in 1975, she made Fargo her home, where she continued her career until retiring in 1992.

Raising four children on her own, Sylvia built a stable and loving home through hard work, determination, and sacrifice. She later became the proud grandmother of three and great-grandmother of four. Her home was the gathering place for holidays and family celebrations, always filled with laughter, yard games, and wonderful meals. We remember coming home from school to the smell of her fresh-baked bread, or a note of what she made to eat before leaving for work. Also noticing what had been updated around the house while we were away. She made birthdays and holidays special, often mailing homemade treats and decorating her home to create lasting memories.

She taught her family independence, patience, a strong work ethic, and the importance of treating others with kindness, whether they were strangers or lifelong friends. She never missed a birthday, holiday, sporting event, school program, or church program. No matter how deep the snow or how hard it rained, she walked to work without complaint, quietly showing us what determination looked like.

Sylvia was deeply community- and family-oriented, always opening her home to neighbors, coworkers, relatives, or anyone traveling to Fargo who needed a place to stay while visiting or receiving medical care. Whether someone needed help moving, packing, groceries, or financial assistance, she gave whatever she could. Until the very end, she worried about her family, making sure we were warm enough, had enough to eat, and were taking care of ourselves.

She loved traveling by train to visit her children and siblings along the West Coast. She was also a devoted Minnesota Twins fan, and they still owed her one more winning season.

Many people came to visit Sylvia during her final days, and our family is deeply grateful for every visit, prayer, and act of kindness. We are especially thankful for her caregivers, who became cherished friends.

Sylvia's strength, generosity, and unconditional love shaped generations of her family. She showed us that a life isn't measured by what we accumulate, but by the people we love, the sacrifices we make, and the kindness we leave behind.

She is survived by her children, Suzanne (David) Fisher, Valerie Keller, Karla Keller, and Philip Keller (Cheri); grandchildren, Trevor (Chelsea) Keller, Amber Keller, Carter Keller and his partner, Baillee Lovell; great-grandchildren, Landon, Mikiah, Quinten, Braelynn Keller; and sister-in-law, Marilynn Paulson.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Nels and Inga Paulson; brothers, Eldon "Sonny" Paulson and Moran Paulson; sisters, Violet (Benny) Guidarelli, Mabel Paulson, and Mildred (Vince) Solga; and her former husband, Francis Keller.

Sylvia will be remembered for her laughter, generosity, unwavering strength, and the example she set for everyone fortunate enough to know and love her.

A memorial service will be held at Hanson-Runsvold Funeral Home at 2:00 PM on Monday, August 10, 2026, with a visitation one hour prior. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that Sylvia's memory be honored through simple acts of kindness towards others.