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John O'Keefe Obituary

Col. John T. O'Keefe, Ret., was called by the Lord on June 5, 2009. He was born June 23, 1917, in Alton, Illinois. John graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1940. John spent the next thirty years of his life serving his country honorably as an officer in The United Stated Army. He saw combat in WWII as well as Vietnam. After retiring from the military, he continued to serve his community as a math teacher in the YISD for the next 15 years. John was preceded in death by his loving wife and companion of sixty-five years, Edith. John is survived by his four children, George O'Keefe, John O'Keefe and wife Heidi, Cathy Kulbacki and husband Walter, Patrick O'Keefe and wife Fong, as well as seven grand children and fifteen great grand children. He is also survived by his brother Andrew Bazar and his sister Elizabeth Bazar. John was our father and our friend, and he will be missed by his immediate family, his extended family and his many friends. A Memorial Visitation will be held from 5:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M. Tuesday June 9, 2009 at Funeraria Del Angel Martin Funeral Home Central 3839 Montana Avenue with a Memorial Service at 7: 00 P.M. Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, Jue 10, 2009 at 9:30 A.M. at St. Joseph's Church 1315 Travis St. John will be interred next to his wife at The United States Military Academy at West Point, New York.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by El Paso Times from Jun. 7 to Jun. 9, 2009.

Memories and Condolences
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3 Entries

DENNIS O'KEEFE

June 15, 2009

JACK WAS MY UNCEL AND A VERY GOOD MAN LAST TIME I SAW HIM WAS AROUND CHRISTMAS OF 1996THERE JACK AND MY FATHER AND FOR OTHER BROTHERS WHO ALL SERVED FOR THIS THIS COUNTY. DENNIS O'KEEFE

Mike Casey

June 9, 2009

Col. O'Keefe,
Sir, I would just like to say thank you for your years of dedicated service and sacrifice for our Country when you served in the U.S. Army-especially during WW II, the Korean and Vietnam Wars. And to your family and loved ones, I wish to extend my deepest sympathy.

Elizabeth (Lisa) Lind

June 7, 2009

Growing up, my family's trip to El Paso to visit Grandma and Grandpa was always the highlight of my summer vacation. My sisters and I looked forward to the trip all year. We'd start packing our bags in happy anticipation weeks before it was time to go. Grandpa and Grandma always made those visits so special. Grandpa loved taking us all around El Paso. He took us swimming every afternoon, and he got right in with us. He always gave us a little tour of the base, showing us any changes going on. He took us to the El Paso library to make sure we had plenty to read. There was always a trip to Sears, to pick out a new outfit for school. Sometimes we got to go to the El Paso Zoo. In the evening we walked Chang. When I got older, and started having medical interests, he even took us to see several of the hospitals in town. He showed me all around BAMC, so that I could see the difference between a military and civilian hospital. Everywhere we went, from the hospital, to church, to the commissary, people knew him, and I was always so proud to be his granddaughter. Back at home, he always had all kinds of goodies for us to eat. He'd bring out little Butterfingers for us at various times during the day. After dinner, he'd make us icecream cones that he scooped himself. And he grilled big burgers for us each time we came. Each visit there was a fresh set of family pictures taken on the front porch- best when taken by Uncle George! Grandpa always had so many interesting stories to tell, and he was a good storyteller. I have always been amazed with all the good things he did in his life. He was a wonderful grandfather.

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