Obituary: William M. O'Keefe, 1948 - 2024
Nantucket Current •
William M. “Bill” O’Keefe, of Nantucket, passed away Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024 at home. He was 76.
The son of William and Helen O’Keefe, Bill was born Nov. 24, 1948, in Jersey City, N.J. He graduated from Woodbridge Senior High School in 1966 and entered the United States Navy on April 5, 1968. Bill was stationed on Nantucket in September 1969, which is when he met Kerry Morgan.
After serving his country overseas in Vietnam, he was honorably discharged on Aug. 26, 1971, and awarded the Distinguished Combat Service Medal.
He then returned to Nantucket and married the love of his life, Kerry, on Sept. 18, 1971. They went on to have two children and four amazing grandchildren. They spent 49 years together before Kerry passed away in 2020.
Bill was a longtime electrician on the island, with 50-plus years of experience, and was extremely well-respected by everyone in his field.
Bill was a fixture at the Nantucket Ice hockey rink for the last 18 years with his three grandsons, always present for practices and games, tying skates for not only his grandsons but their teammates and friends as well.
He respectfully became known as “Grandpa O’Keefe” to all of the kids at the rink.
You would often hear Bill boast about his granddaughter and all of her tennis accomplishments in Utah and dominating tennis tournaments across the Midwest. But Bill was most proud of her decision to enter nursing school, where he knew she would thrive.
William was predeceased by his wife, Kerry; his parents, William and Helen; and his sister, Eileen.
He is survived by his son Michael, his wife Helaine, and their daughter Phelan; his daughter Kelly and her sons, Tyler, Sam, and Colby.
A memorial mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 11, at St. Mary Our Lady of the Isle on Federal Street, followed by a graveside service and then a reception at Faregrounds Restaurant.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Nantucket Hockey Association or the Marla Ceely Lamb Cancer Travel Fund.