Keith McWalter is a writer and lawyer whose essays and editorials have appeared in The New York Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the San Jose Mercury News.
Keith grew up in Mexico and Pennsylvania. He is a graduate of Denison University and Columbia Law School, and worked for over thirty years as a lawyer and investment banker in New York and San Francisco. His debut novel, When We Were All Still Alive, is to be published in May, 2021. He and his wife Courtney live in Granville, Ohio, and Sanibel, Florida.
“For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause…”
– William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1
Hello,
My name is Kate (Tomaro) Duke and I graduated from Denison in 1993. You may have known my uncle, Robert Tomaro, who was an attorney and one of my most favorite people in the whole world. I miss him terribly since he died of a sudden heart attack just a few years ago.
I wanted to let you know that your article from the Denison Magazine Spring 1997 has made a lasting impression on me. I give copies of it to all relatives when they graduate high school (along with a tupperware box of basic tools since no one thinks of bringing any to college). While the grads pretend to be glad that I just gave them something to read after they just got out of school, their parents are very taken with it. My Uncle Robert commented that you are very talented after he emerged from reading the article in another room during the graduation party for his son.
I was an English major and Art minor at Denison, avoiding the full pursuit of art for fear of not making money at it. Then I hedged my bets further by getting a Masters in Humanities. So now I am a grant writer at the Cleveland Play House (so much for making money when you work at a nonprofit!) while I continually gravitate toward creative outlets. At this time, I can only rationalize that my daily grind serves to produce an inner craving that has resulted in speeches that have gotten laughs, over-the-top birthday decorations that include a pirate ship facade, a husband who loves my baking even while he begs me to just do slice n’ bake cookies at holidays (never!), and a 6-year-old who declares that I am an artist.
Thank you for your wonderful article, and best wishes to you. Now that I’ve found your site, I look forward to reading more of your work.
Best,
Kate