Our House: Kleiboemer Family

One of the greatest ways to examine what it's like to live in Whitehouse is through the eyes of my husband.

Above: Commander Daddy and his mini me.
Below: Dan and Max take a spin at the park.

Dan Kleiboemer has lived in various U.S. cities from literal coast to coast, and his military service, merchant marine career, and adventurous spirit have taken him around the globe. He can live anywhere in the whole world, and he chose Whitehouse, Ohio.

He was born and raised in Washington, D.C. Our nation's capital is a very transient city. People from all over the United States and other countries come and go, with each presidential administration, congressional term, military service, government contract, and the like.

Dan loves that people have deep family roots here, that we've been here for generations. His parents have immigrant stories, with his father coming to America as a teenager, so joining the Conklin (Benson-Wittes-Wittenmyer) family was definitely a different experience for him.

He appreciates how well people know each other here. Wherever we go, we run into folks who know me or my family. Our confidence in the local preschool where our son may attend one day is that much higher because I graduated from high school with the director. Walking into the American Legion canteen is like our very own episode of "Cheers."

Dan often remarks on how accessible and high-caliber the offerings are in northwest Ohio. We have world-class things to enjoy: museums, zoo, waterways and parks, sports, and performing arts. Venues are beautiful. Tickets are available and affordable. From opera singers to park rangers, we have some of the very best people making this the very best place to live.

And live we do! Dan is away a great deal, sailing aboard the Maersk Pittsburgh as chief mate and serving as a commander in the Navy, and he teaches at the Maritime Academy of Toledo Foundation when he is ashore. So we have learned to maximize our time together. We like to jet-set with weekend trips abroad, but we like just as much to take a stroll from our home on Lone Oak Court to the village park. We enjoy Toledo opera, symphony, ballet and theater performances, we cheer on the Walleye hockey and Mud Hens baseball teams, we hike through Oak Openings, and we've been up and down the Maumee River on our speedboat.

Gabe gives his mother a hug after AW graduation ceremonies.

We have two sons, who are nearly 16 years apart in age! Gabe just graduated from Anthony Wayne High School, the fourth consecutive generation in our family to do so. (His great-grandparents graduated from the precursor Whitehouse School. I saw their 1930s-era senior portraits in the little log cabin once.) Max recently turned 3 years old, on Mother's Day this year!

When I told Gabe that I was running for village council, the first thing he asked was whether he could help me campaign. Gabe served as speaker of the house for this year's Model Congress at Anthony Wayne, and it's an important goal of mine to engage the young voters in our community and involve them in the political process.

As for our very youngest of residents, I want to help make the Village Park that Max so enjoys the very best it can be. If you see us there, please visit with us and tell me more about what you feel is important for the future of Whitehouse and what you need from village council.