He's in There. Westlake Man is (Sort of) In Historic Photo

A Westlake man is part of a although no one would guess it at first glance.

Ken Keeler saw the Long Ago Westlake photo from 1961, featured on Westlake Patch March 6 and saw a familiar face: his mother’s.

“I thought you’d like to know that the picture of the Westlake Sesquicentennial is my mom in the front stirring the butter (they misspelled our last name),” Keeler said. “She said she was pregnant with me in that picture.”

His mother Betty Keeler’s last name is spelled “Keller” in the Cleveland Memory Project. The photo was taken more than 50 years ago at Westlake’s 150^th celebration. (The city celebrated its 200^th birthday in 2011.)

The caption reads, “Westlake Sesquicentennial celebration, 1961. Left to right: Mrs. John Keller (seated), Mrs. John T. Kirk, Mrs. Donald A. Uhrich, Mrs. Donald Barden.

Keeler said his mom believes she was 3-4 months pregnant with him in the pictures.

"She was very active in the Westlake Women’s Club back in the 50’s and 60s," he said.

John Keeler, who survived the Great Depression and four years in WWII, passed away in November of 2012 at age 93.

He and Betty, lived in the same Westlake house for 62 years—one they built for their family. Last year the moved into Westlake Village.

Ken Keeler said the house was sold to Westlake Assistant Planning Director Will Krause. In a small twist of fate, Krause was involved in putting together the city’s Bicentennial publication.

“That picture of my mom found its way into the magazine,” Keeler said. “Will was also very interested in my parents given their longevity in Westlake.”

John Keeler was featured in Westlake Magazine. He was interviewed about a month before he became very sick.

“The magazine got published just before my dad passed,” Ken Keeler said. “A nice memorial.”