When her children were growing up, Diana Keller worked as an assistant at Milton School, and with Neva Winter in the school library. For many years, she also helped Lynne Stetson out with her dance program, The Ballet Class. It was Stetson who told Keller there was a job opening at the Rye Arts Center.

By Robin Jovanovich

 

When her children were growing up, Diana Keller worked as an assistant at Milton School, and with Neva Winter in the school library. For many years, she also helped Lynne Stetson out with her dance program, The Ballet Class. It was Stetson who told Keller there was a job opening at the Rye Arts Center.

 

Twenty-two years ago, Director Anne Bradner hired Keller as an administrative assistant. Before long, she was running the summer program, the art school, and the Head Start and Famous Artists programs. While adroitly juggling a number of tasks, Keller has always been the warm and helpful presence behind the front office desk — a one-woman welcoming committee.

 

While her title has been Operations Director, Keller said that for over 15 years her real love has been Head Start. “I’ve watched it grow from a small program to one we now offer every day, and I’ve watched all those children flourish.”

 

For all the students, faculty, and staff who’ve worked with and learned from Keller, January 31 will be a bittersweet day. Keller is retiring.

 

“I don’t have a specific plan in mind,” she admitted, “but I know I won’t be sitting at home playing Tiddlywinks!”

 

What is on her what-to-do-with-the-rest-of-my-life list is: following her passion for animals, perhaps through more shelter rescue work, taking a photography class, and spending more time with her children and grandchild in California. “And even though my husband Ed and I have known one another since high school and been married forever, we have lots of things we want to do together.” (Ed Keller is a professor of media advertising at City College.)

 

When Keller looks back at her years at the Rye Arts Center, she says she’s proud to have been part of the revamping and expansion of the art school. “And it was fun!” She added, “The connections you make are lasting ones, memorable ones.”

 

If there is one thing she won’t miss, it’s trying to stay on top of ever-changing technology. “I actually cried when they replaced my office typewriter with a computer decades ago!”

 

A farewell reception for Diana Keller will be held at the Rye Arts Center Sunday, February 10 from 3-5 p.m.