Mount Pearl man memorialised at military base
By Chris Lewis | Vol 8 No. 21 (Nov. 7, 2019)
The late Warrant Officer Kevin O’ Keefe of Mount Pearl.
Submitted photo
A man remembered by family as an active, concerned, proud, and loyal citizen of Mount Pearl for over 40 years was memorialized by members of the Canadian Armed Forces base in St. John’s last month.
The 56 Engineering Unit held a ceremony on Oct. 19 to unveil O’Keefe’s Alley, a dedicated portion of the Unit in memory of Warrant Officer (WO) Kevin O’Keefe, who passed away March 4, 2019 from complications due to Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, at the age of 73.
“He was a jewel,” said younger brother Brian O’Keefe, who said Kevin is fondly remembered for his willingness to fight challenges head on.
“Kevin had a heart of gold. But on the outside, he would challenge things that he didn’t like, or things that are not right,” said Brian.
“He could have a fine argument,” headed, jokingly. ““He would say ‘You’, and he’d stick his arm out halfway at the elbow, and he’d point his finger, and he’d say ‘I don’t like you,’ or, ‘You’re not telling me the truth.’”
Sometimes, said Brian, he would call his older brother by the nickname ‘Crusty.’ because of his willingness to argue and debate.
He was the type of man who was not shy about phoning into VOCM’s Open Line to share his thoughts over the airwaves, such as opposing the proposed development of Kenmount Hill.
The older O’Keefe was an active supporter of the Poppy campaign each November, and could often be seen handing them out at Coleman’s Supermarket in Mount Pearl, and other locales across the city, as well as marching in the city’s Remembrance Day parade.
O’Keefe once ran for council, coached and played soccer, called bingo at the Legion, and gave blood to the Red Cross.
He was the type of man who left an impression on people, said Brian.
About 50 military personnel in full uniform attended the ceremony, along with friends and family. And though the official ceremony lasted only 15 or 20 minutes, the plaque will honour his memory for decades to come. It gives a condensed version of Kevin’s military career, which began in September of 1975 when he enlisted in the 56 Filed Engineering Squadron. He was promoted to Corporal in 1979, later to Master Corporal, and again to Sergeant in 1984. In 1989, he was awarded a Canadian Forces Decoration and attained the rank of Warrant Officer. He served as Squadron Sergeant Master from 1992 to 1996.
Over the years, O’Keefe was involved in several engineering projects across the province, including the construction of Dyke’s River Bridge in Cartwright and Rappel Towers in Grand Falls.
“He’s been fighting all his life,” said Brian, remembering Kevin’s days fighting for union members, debating development, or arguing a point on the Open Line.
