My Grandfather’s Dealership, Circa 1966: Ken O’Keefe Ford

My Grandfather passed away two weeks ago, and as I sit here hours before my flight back to Detroit for his memorial, I thought there’d be no better time than now to share a couple images I recently came across from his earlier years as a Kentucky-based Ford dealer.

The above images depict his first dealership, Ken O’Keefe Ford, which he opened around 1965-66 at 4071 Shelbyville Rd., St. Matthews, Kentucky—a small suburb of Louisville. My Grandfather was a man extremely proud of his heritage and wanted you to know it too. Note the huge green shamrock-adorned sign.

And these two images (above & below) were taken at the Battle of the Thunderbolts at US 60 dragway in Hardinsburg, KY. My Grandfather sponsored Walt Derringer’s Thunderbolt during the time he owned his dealership. Not quite sure how successful he was, but it’s pretty neat to me nonetheless.

At eighty-years young, he was an amazing man, and without a doubt, the one I learned from the most. I just wish I’d have had more time with him. If you’d have known him, you’d have loved him. We all did.