Kevin J. Keating

Kevin J. Keating, 70, of Pottsville, passed away Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025, surrounded by his loving family.

Born in Palo Alto on the Ides of March 1955, he was the son of Russell B. Jr. and Juena (Carestia) Keating.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother Russell B. Keating Jr. and his sister Carol A. Keating.

Kevin graduated from Pottsville Area High School where he played football for legendary coach Bill Flynn. Following a post-graduate year at Staunton (Va.) Military Academy, he matriculated to Gettysburg College where he suited up for Barry Streeter, another legendary coach.

He embarked on a career in education and coaching at Saint Clair High School in 1978 before returning to Pottsville in 1980 to teach and join Flynn’s coaching staff. He truly enjoyed teaching literature, especially his Vo-Tech and Detective Fiction courses. In 1986, Kevin became head coach at his alma mater where he helped guide 48 players that received either “full” athletic scholarships or “partial” grants-in-aid to NCAA Division I or II football programs, an estimated $3.5 million in scholarship money. During a 24-year tenure with the Crimson Tide (1986-1999 and 2003-2012), Kevin and his staff won a school-record 166 games that included 15 playoff appearances with three Eastern Conference titles (1992, 1996, 2008), three District 11 3A championships (2004, 2005, 2006) and a pair of magical runs to the PIAA 3A State Championship game in 2005 and 2006. In between stints as head coach at Pottsville, Kevin served on Frank Tavani’s staff at NCAA FCS Lafayette College as the wide receivers coach, where he helped one his student-athletes to All-Patriot League honors in 2002. He finished his coaching career on his terms as the head coach at Shenandoah Valley.

Kevin touched thousands of lives as an educator and football coach in addition to coaching track and field throughout his career. He believed the competitive arena to be an extension of the classroom and a place to teach and learn true life lessons about facing adversity, perseverance among other qualities. He also cherished the opportunity to coach his sons Kevin and Patrick and never was ready for kickoff until seeing his wife Terry and daughter Alicia settled in the bleachers.

As much as he loved teaching and coaching, Kevin loved his family most of all. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Teresa (Torpey); his son, Kevin with his wife Helen and daughter Lena; his daughter, Alicia Newman with her husband Damon and sons Noah and Eli; his son, Patrick with fiancée Kayla. Also surviving are brother Michael, mother-in-law Joyce Torpey, in-laws and many loving nephews, nieces and cousins.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday at 10:00A.M. from St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church, Pottsville. Family and friends are respectfully invited to attend the viewings Wednesday from 5-8PM at St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church and from 8-9:45AM Thursday at the church. There will be NO VIEWING FROM THE FUNERAL HOME. Interment will follow mass at St. Joseph Cemetery, Hillside, Pottsville. The family would prefer remembrances in the form of contributions in memory of Kevin be made to Coach Kevin J. Keating Scholarship C/O 1112 W. Market St. Pottsville, PA 17901. Donation will also be accepted during the viewing.

Arrangements are under the care of James E. Humphrey Funeral Home, Pottsville.