Mary Louise Keefe (O’Connor) passed away peaceful surrounded by her three
devoted children on Tuesday, February 15, 2022 in Ravenna, OH.
Born on September 15, 1933 in Youngstown, OH, Mary Lou was exceptionally
proud of her pioneer family roots and grew up in West Aliquippa. In1954, she
graduated from the Franklin School of Nursing and over the course of her 27
year career at the Aliquippa Hospital, she served as a teacher, advisor, and
mentor to many. Outside of nursing, Mary Lou was also an active leader in her
community, serving on the CCBC Nurse Advisory Board, as well as, the Monaca
Library Board. She held various positions on the Mayor’s Advisory Board, was
President of the Monaca Women’s Democracy Society and a member of the
Monaca High School Football Mothers. In her free time, Mary Lou spent hours
passionately researching her family lineage and compiling very detailed family
genealogy records. Always a teacher at heart, she even started a class at her
senior living community, Maple Brook, to help her peers learn how to complete
their own family trees.
Mary Lou married the love of her life, John L. Keefe, Jr. on January 12, 1957 and
together they raised three wonderful children, Sheila (Kendrick, MD) Bashor,
Sandy (Al) Kelley, and Shawn (Lisa) Keefe. She was immensely proud of and
deeply loved her grandchildren, Gretchen (Andrew Vargo) Horinger, Jonathan
Bashor, Abigail Bashor, Benjamin Bashor, Brianna (Gage) DeCampli, as well as
her step grandchildren, Nathan Kelley, Nicole (Ron) Alexander, and Amber
(Mike) Decker. Mary Lou was blessed to play an active role in the lives of her
great grandchildren and step greatgrands, Ewan Horinger, Emile Horinger,
Marissa Kelley, Ravenna Kelley, Sophia Kelley, Rowan Kelley, Avery Decker,
Archie Decker, and Ty Decker. Mary Lou was also honored to be the god mother
of Philip John Fossett, Nancy (Crnkovich) Ayad, Sharon Cartwright Rapchak, and
Daniel Colville. The love of her Irish family, including many cousins, nieces and
nephews, meant the world to her.
Mary Lou was preceded in death by her parents, Robert E. and Zita C.
(Goehmann) O’Connor, her in-laws, John L. Sr. and Muriel L. (Boyd) Keefe, her
husband John L. Keefe, Jr., her sister Dr. Kay O’Rosenlieb, her brother-in-law
Stephen Crnkvoich Sr., her sister in-law Patricia M. Fossett, her brother-in-law,
Philip Fossett, and her longtime school friend, Joanne Lombardo-Kristian. She is
survived by her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, two sisters Patricia
(Stephen) Crnkovich, and Lois (George) Pannell, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Rubino, the
Kelley Family and dear school friend, Dorothy Cercone-Fontana.
Calling hours will be held at Simpson Funeral & Cremation Services, 1119 Washington Avenue, Monaca PA on Sunday,February 20 from 2pm – 4pm and 6pm – 8pm. where prayers will be offered on Monday at 9:30 am. Her funeral mass will be celebrated Monday, February 21 at 10 am at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Monaca, PA.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Monaca Library, 998 Indiana Avenue, Monaca, PA. 15061
To share online condolences, get directions and other information, please visit simpsonfuneralhome.com.