Joseph Patrick Keely Sr.

Joseph Patrick Keely, Sr 79, passed away peacefully on May, 6, 2025 in Hackettstown, NJ.
He was born on June 1, 1945 in the Bronx to the late Patrick Joseph Keely and Agnes McDonnell Keely. Joe married Virginia Hyler on August 7, 1971 at Assumption Church in Morristown, NJ and they had two children. They raised their family in Succasunna and both lived in Newton at the time of their respective passing.
Joe was a proud US Marine and served as Staff Sergeant from 1964-1968 doing two tours in Vietnam. He was in the Marine Reserves until 1980. A New Jersey State Trooper for 26 years, he rose to the rank of Detective Sergeant First Class and was a fingerprint expert and skillful crime scene investigator. During the investigation into the fatal shooting of Trooper Phillip Lamonaco, Detective SFC Keely discovered the integral piece of evidence that broke the case and resulted in the capture and arrest of the perpetrators. After he retired from NJSP, he worked security for the North Jersey Watershed Unit until he retired from that position five years ago.
An accomplished bagpiper, Joe was a founding member of the Cu'Chullain Pipe Band in 1977. During these years, he would play events for the State Police. He had an idea and in 1986, Joe petitioned Colonel Pagano with a plan to start the New Jersey State Police Pipe Band. The first state police pipe band in the country. The formation, growth and success of this band would become Joe's sole purpose for many years. Later in his piping career, Joe would help in the founding of the St Ann's of Hampton Pipe Band and the Morris County Police Pipes and Drums. He was also a former member of Leatherneck Pipes and Drums. He was a legend in the pipe band community and his influence was far reaching, inspiring many other pipe bands to share their tradition and musical talent with their community.
Joe wrote the book "Wounds of the Heart" which shared personal reflections from him and other Vietnam veterans. The preface reads, "This is for my children and my children's children so that they may know that their father/grandfather served his country along with 2,909,918 other men and women in uniform in Vietnam."
Joe is survived by daughter, Deirdre and husband Matthew Wood; son, Joe and wife, Debbie; granddaughter, Erin Keely Wood; sister, Maureen Robinson and husband, John; brothers, Bob Daley and Terry Smith; niece, Eileen Saum and Noreen Robinson and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Joe was pre-deceased by his parents, Patrick Joseph Keely and Agnes McDonnell, his dear wife Virginia (Bunny) Keely and his nephew, John Walker Robinson III.
When he passed, Joe was surrounded by his loving family and his care team aka "The Girls". The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks for the amazing care these women provided Joe during the last 4 years.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 from 3 pm to 8 pm at the Cochran Funeral Home, 905 High Street, Hackettstown, NJ. Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 11 am at Our Lady of the Mountain Catholic Church, 2 E. Springtown Road, and Long Valley. Burial will follow at the church cemetery.
Joe's family would request blood donations or donations to the Pipes and Drums of the Blue and Gold, P.O. Box 456, Chester, NJ 07930, njsppipeband.org in his honor.
For those wishing to leave online condolences for the family, please visit, www.cochranfuneral.com