| William A. Keleher : Getting personal | | | | offered Keleher an honorary degree. He gave an |
| The people of New Mexico may have heard of an | | | | emotional birthday speech at its Alumni Chapel in |
| individual named William A. Keleher. But I highly | | | | 1962. |
| doubt if they know the real Keleher, because you | | | | The family papers of Kelehers contain information |
| can only know this truly amazing person with | | | | on his wife and four sons. Information about |
| deep contemplation. In this article, I will try my | | | | Keleher's family and siblings were also divulged by |
| level best to tell you about William Keleher, at | | | | these papers. Also found was the Kelehers' |
| least as much as I have learnt about him after | | | | involvement in the fundraisers' community and |
| extensive research and study. Please read on. | | | | their ownership of different Albuquerque |
| William Aloysius Keleher (1886-1972), was the | | | | properties (most notably Altura Addition, Altura |
| offspring of David and Mary Ann Gorry Keleher. | | | | Shopping Center, Buena Vista Heights Addition, |
| Three years after his birth, the family moved to | | | | Huning Castle Addition, Mandell Business and |
| Albuquerque, New Mexico where he enrolled at St. | | | | Residence Addition). |
| Mary's Parochial School. Unfortunately, he could | | | | In my opinion, Keleher lived his life to the fullest. |
| not complete the eighth grade when family needs | | | | Strictly speaking from Maslow's theory of needs |
| forced him to drop out of school in 1900. Poor | | | | concept, Keleher reached the pinnacle as a human |
| William had to work in order to help support his | | | | being which may sound really fascinating owing to |
| beloved family. He began his working life as a | | | | the fact that he was a high school dropout. His |
| messenger for the Western Union telegraph | | | | accomplishments are sky-high and I can assure |
| company. He was promoted from a counter clerk | | | | you, very few individuals soared to such heights in |
| to a telegraph operator, owing to his merit and | | | | their span of life. The New Mexico Bar Association |
| skills. The following years saw him trying various | | | | named Keleher one of the outstanding lawyers of |
| jobs, never settling in a particular field. In this | | | | the century in the year of 2000. He was also a |
| period of time, he worked in Bluewater | | | | news reporter, widely known author and a |
| Development Company and the board of | | | | historian. University of New Mexico awarded him |
| education situated locally. A few years later, he | | | | two honorary degrees. It is still not known to |
| was accepted by Washington and Lee University | | | | many that he was the attorney of Elfego Baca, a |
| as a special student. He studied law and graduated | | | | popular figure in New Mexico in the 1900s. Some |
| in an impressive two years' time (1915). The | | | | of the most high-quality works on the Southwest |
| same year, he returned to Albuquerque to | | | | were engendered by him. Books like "Maxwell |
| practice law. Eventually, he founded one of the | | | | Land Grant,", "Fabulous Frontier", "Turmoil in New |
| largest law firms in the state (Keleher & McLeod) | | | | Mexico", "Violence in Lincoln County" and |
| that would be named after him and his partner, A. | | | | "Memoirs" are more than enough to prove his |
| Howard McLeod. | | | | excellence in the fields he worked in. Zimmerman |
| The firm (Keleher & McLeod), where Keleher | | | | Library received the whole collection of William |
| devoted himself fully in the practice of law still | | | | Keleher's books and archive of papers |
| runs strong today after so many years. As a | | | | manuscripts, which would someday divulge more |
| matter of fact, it is perceived as one of the | | | | amazing works of the great man. William A. |
| oldest and reliable law firms in New Mexico. Three | | | | Keheler lived in Albuquerque for eighty four years |
| of Keleher's sons, William, Michael and Thomas are | | | | and passed away at the age of eighty six in |
| still affiliated with the firm. | | | | 1972, but he left his memories, achievements and |
| William Keleher's collection, not surprisingly, is | | | | most importantly, inspiration to his descendants |
| situated in UNM since all of his children attended | | | | and the people of New Mexico. Men of such |
| UNM for their degree. Moreover, many of | | | | league do not grace the earth very often. It is an |
| Keleher's grandchildren are studying or have | | | | honor to have someone like W.A. Keleher in New |
| studied there. It was in 1968 when this University | | | | Mexico. |