Patrick Edmund O'Keeffe

O'KEEFFE, Patrick Edmund, 83, born in Limerick, Ireland, and formerly of Virginia Beach, Virginia, died January 30, 2009 in Savannah, Georgia, while on vacation. He was the son of David Joseph O'Keeffe and Mary Alice Gilliard of Limerick. He was predeceased by his daughter, Sheila Marie O'Keeffe, and by three siblings, Margaret Irene, Desmond David, and William Gerald O'Keeffe. While in his native land, Paddy O'Keeffe, as he was called there, played the Gaelic game of hurling and was an All-Ireland championship player. As a teen, he joined the Irish National Guard and became part of the Irish Army in response to the beginnings of World War II. In 1948, he sailed out of Cobh, County Cork to pursue the American dream. Once he arrived in the United States, he joined the National Guard in 1950 and was soon federalized into the United States Army. He attended combat engineering school before being transferred to Germany with the 43rd Infantry Division, attaining the rank of Master Sergeant. Patrick married his former wife, Diane Pollard of Richmond, Virginia in 1953, and together they had four children. He became a U.S. citizen in March of 1954 and was honorably discharged from the Army the following year. The rest of his career was spent as a successful salesman for Sterling Equipment Corporation and National Chemsearch, and he continued selling until the time of his death. Patrick was probably best known for his Irish charm and brogue as well as his perfect Irish tenor voice. His beautiful solos often left listeners in tears. He will be remembered for his will in overcoming Macular Degeneration, which left him legally blind, and pulmonary fibrosis. He was a member of the Blinded Veterans Association and was a participant in the National Veterans Golden Age Games. His biggest delight and interest, however, was in watching his grandchildren grow. Mr. O'Keeffe is survived by his wife, Carole Maguire O'Keeffe, and his daughters, Patricia O'Keeffe Brennan, Maureen O'Keeffe Corra and his son-in-law, Robert Corra; his son, Kevin O'Keeffe; three grandsons, Lee Patrick Brennan, Kyle Williams, and Austin Corra; two stepdaughters, Shawn Maguire Gardner and Nicole Maguire Rodgers; four stepgranddaughters, Sara, Emma, Leah, and Rachel; several cousins, nieces, and nephews in Ireland, England, and the U.S.; and his beloved dog, Kerry. Visitation and viewing will be Thursday, February 5 at St. Nicholas Catholic Church, 712 Little Neck Road, in Virginia Beach, from 5 to 7 p.m., followed by a prayer vigil from 7 to 7:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Nicholas on Friday at 2 p.m. Burial will be Saturday at 2 p.m. at Washington Memorial Park, 6217 Memorial Dr., Richmond, Va. 23150. In lieu of flowers, Mr. O'Keeffe requested any donations be made to the Blinded Veterans' Association at Veterans Administration Medical Center.
This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.