Eltingville dad enjoyed watching his daughters' track meets -
By Frank Donnelly Advance staff writer Wednesday, 09/26/2001
The
little things mattered most to William S. O'Keefe. Running at
sunup along the beach at Sea Isle City on the Jersey Shore with
his daughters, Tara and Kaitlin. Working out a folk or rock tune
on his acoustic guitar. Doting on his two beagles, Lucy and Desi.
Promoted to captain in the city Fire Department in May, the 48-year-old
Eltingville resident lost his life responding to the World Trade
Center terrorist attack on Sept. 11. "He was a wonderful person,
a completely devoted father and husband," said his sister-in-law,
Barbara Weimar. "And a very brave firefighter." A lifelong Staten
Islander, Mr. O'Keefe was appointed to the Fire Department in
April 1979. He worked his way through the ranks, spending 15 years
at Engine Co. 224 in Brooklyn and seven years at Engine Co. 154
in Travis. Following his promotion to captain, he was assigned
to Division 15 in Brooklyn. "He was very proud of the promotion,"
said Ms. Weimar. "His family was very proud." Dedicated to his
wife, the former Ginny Sheehan, and his daughters, Mr. O'Keefe
relished the family's annual summer treks to the Jersey Shore.
They recently returned in July from Sea Isle City, where he would
rise at dawn to run along the boardwalk. Mr. O'Keefe also enjoyed
watching his girls' track meets. Tara, 19, and Kaitlin, 16, have
both run for St. Joseph by-the-Sea High School. Mr. O'Keefe was
an avid runner himself, participating in a number of long-distance
events and firefighters' races. He enjoyed golfing, and loved
playing the guitar. Handy with a hammer and saw, Mr. O'Keefe also
liked renovating his home. His family said he had a terrific sense
of humor, joking and keeping the mood light. "He was a very funny
and amusing guy," Ms. Weimar said. "We all loved him." Mr. O'Keefe
was born in Tottenville and moved to Great Kills with his family
as a 5-year-old. He settled in Eltingville in 1982 following his
marriage. A graduate of Tottenville High School, Mr. O'Keefe earned
his bachelor's degree from the former Richmond College in St.
George. He was a parishioner of St. Clare's R.C. Church, Great
Kills. In addition to his wife, Ginny, and his daughters, Tara
and Kaitlin, surviving are his father, John, and three brothers,
Robert, John and Timothy. The funeral will be Friday from the
John Vincent Scalia Home for Funerals, Eltingville, with a mass
at 1 p.m. in St. Clare's Church. Burial will follow in Moravian
Cemetery, New Dorp.
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