West High is grieving the loss of math teacher Erick Keating. Keating passed away from natural causes on May 11, 2024, leaving an empty space in the hearts of both students and faculty.
He was an active member of our campus; coordinating the Homecoming parades, advising clubs, and strolling along the balcony of the MS building during passing periods. Even if you had never been one of his students, you would have seen him around.
English teacher Scott von Stade recalls his memories of the life of Mr. Keating. “As a voluntary bald guy, I would sit away from Keating in faculty meetings, due to my own Ponytail Envy. Erick had GREAT HAIR!” he jokes. “Good sense of humor. Keating made sure he had pie on March 14.”
“Erick Keating had a multifaceted personality and wide range of talents,” says math teacher Lyudmyla Krasnova. “First and most importantly he was a passionate teacher. Teaching gave him a lot of joy and was his calling in life. He was completely immersed with all his heart in everything he did whether he was teaching in class or preparing Homecoming Parade or staging Theater Performances. Speaking of theater, he loved theater! [Keating] dreamed of staging his own musical here at our school. He was a brilliant and charismatic actor. Dressed up as a character from 16th Century England, speaking in this beautiful language: witty, with word play and invented words, [it was] Shakespearean style. He researched history to learn about his character to improvise convincingly with Renaissance Faire guests. His outfit was researched to the tiniest details. He was brilliant in his role!”
Krasnova continues, “Erick Keating had a profound impact on my life. He is my mentor teacher, colleague, and a very good friend. He helped me to develop skills needed to succeed and supported me through challenging times. He greatly influenced my teaching and will continue doing it as he always be alive in my heart. His impact goes well beyond school walls.”
Senior Landon Lane was Keating’s Geometry student during his freshman year. He describes him, “He was a very funny teacher. He always made sure we were having a good time, trying to entertain us as much as possible. [Outside of instruction], he would always motivate you to do better and check up on you. If my grade slipped, he would talk to me and make sure I got the help I needed. He pushed a lot of kids to go further in math.”
Mr. Keating brought an energy to our campus that could never be replicated by another person. He will be missed by all and will have a place in our hearts.
