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Note: John L. O'Keefe was the first son of John C. O'Keefe; his mother died within several days of his birth. According to his daughter, Mary Ethel O'Keefe Rafferty, he may have been baptized at St. Basil's R.C. church in Pittsburgh. His godparents were Lawrence Donovan and Ann (or Rose Ann) O'Keefe. He was known as "Jack."
As an infant, John was taken to live with his married sister, Katie Donoghue who lived on So. Lang St, Pittsburgh. She had a large family and another infant, Paul, at the time. When a bit older, he went to live with his father and stepmother on their farm. He later attended a school in Homewood run by German nuns and lived with his stepmother's sister, Barbara Puder (sp?) on Kelly St. at the corner of Dallas, Pittsburgh. His step-brothers and sisters later lived there too.
John and Ella Regina Gallagher were married June 7, 1916 at St. Richard's Catholic Church by Rev. William Slattery. The license was granted by the Clerk of the Orphan's Court, Allegheny Co, number 21392 series J.
After their marriage, they lived for a short time with John J. & Kathryn Gallagher, Ella's sister and her husband, in the Overbrook section of Pittsburgh, south of the city. It was either a 2 family home or a house that they shared. There, their daughter Mary Ethel was born. FX Houlihan recalls an often-told family story that his father and his Uncle Jack built a canoe in the basement of that home over one winter; Jack was a canoe enthusiast and belonged to a club called the "Eonac Club", canoe spelled backwards! Unfortunately, they misjudged the size of the final product and, when they couldn't get it out of the basement, they had to cut it in pieces to get it upstairs!
In 1921, John and Ella lived on La Scholl St., in the Homewood section of Pittsburgh. Their son, Raymond, was born at that address. Dr. P.W. Bushong, 1824 Webster Ave. was the attending physician. In 1925, they lived at 608 S. Lang Ave., Pittsburgh, also Homewood. In the early 1940's, the family lived on Chislett St, Pittsburgh. Jack was a licensed plumber and worked in the plumbing and heating business.
John O'Keefe died March 21, 1967 at St. Francis Hospital, Pittsburgh, from Hodgkin's disease. He was buried from St. Bonaventure Catholic Church, 2001 Mt. Royal Ave., Glenshaw, PA and was buried March 23, 1967 in grave 6, lot 346, section F, Calvary Cemetery, Pittsburgh in the Gallagher family plot, along with his wife. The Ray Byrne Funeral Home at 701 N. Negley Ave, Pittsburgh, handled the arrangements. His last residence was 1415 Ella St., Glenshaw/Pittsburgh.
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