Keith Winterhalter, 1952-2011: Attorney taught, coached youth

Keith winterhalter, 1952-2011

4/11/2011

Keith Winterhalter, a senior attorney for the city of Toledo, died of apparent heart failure Thursday at his Toledo home. He was 58.

Mr. Winterhalter was a senior attorney for the city of Toledo doing litigation work for the city since 2006.

He previously worked for several law firms, including Robison Curphey & O'Connell and Cooper, Straub, Walinski & Cramer in Toledo, and Dykema Gossett, PLLC in Michigan, after starting practicing in 1984.

Before that, he taught English, and coached football and tennis at Sylvania Northview High School from the mid-1970s through the mid-1980s.

He was preparing to be the lead attorney in a case filed by three female firefighters who brought gender-discrimination charges against the Toledo Fire Department.

"He was a great guy, very knowledgeable, very empathetic," Jeff Charles, the chief of litigation for the city, said.

"We used to talk about his children, who he cared a lot about."

An Oregon native, Mr. Winterhalter graduated from Clay High School in Oregon and later got his bachelor degree in education, along with his law degree, from the University of Toledo in the early 1980s.

"He was a very kind and generous man. He was very helpful to people who need any type of help. And he was never judgemental of anybody," said Sue Winterhalter, his ex-wife.

He married Sue Winterhalter, nee Snider, of Toledo in 1971.

They had three children whom they raised in Toledo. The couple divorced in 1992.

In his free time, Mr. Winterhalter enjoyed running marathons and golfing.

His professional memberships included the Ohio Bar Association and Michigan Bar Association.

Besides Ms. Winterhalter, also surviving are his son, Wade Winterhalter; daughters, Leah-Renee Winterhalter and Emily Winterhalter, and sister, Marianne Kanary.

As a tribute to Mr. Winterhalter, a happy hour will be held beginning at 5 p.m. Wednesday in the Rumpus Room bar on Consaul Street in East Toledo.

There was no visitation. Services were private. Arrangements are by the Newcomer Funeral Home.

The family suggests tributes to the Boys and Girls Club of Toledo or the American Heart Association.