Passed peacefully away at Saint Luke's Home in the early morning hours of Tuesday, September 23, 2014, our beloved matriarch, Rita Ann O'Keefe. Predeceased by her husband Bernard L. O'Keefe, brother Leonard Madden, son Barry O'Keefe, daughter Lynda Quigley, grandson Teddy Quigley, son-in-law Bob Jackman, daughter-in-law Margaret O'Keefe and granddaughter-in-law Heather Quigley, Leaving to morn with cherished memories, her loving children Don O'Keefe and Cathy Jackman. Her precious grandchildren Shawn Quigley Kingston ON, Adele O'Keefe (Kerry O'Neill) April O'Keefe (Peter Barnes) Barry O'Keefe, Douglas Jackman and Graham Jackman - great-grandchildren Alycia Quigley, Keitha Quigley, Gabe Quigley all of Kingston ON, Alyssa O'Keefe, Shannon O'Neill, Ethan O'Keefe, Michael Barnes and Emma Barnes. Her son-in-law Edward Quigley (Denise Lamer) Kingston, ON. Her loving sisters Marcella Miller and Rose Santoro both of Long Island, New York. Her sister-in-law and dear friend Margaret O'Keefe and many treasured nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and her beloved St. Patrick's Parish family. Resting at Caul's Funeral Home, LeMarchant Road from 12 p.m. - 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 25th and Friday Sept. 26th. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday, Sept 27th at 9:30 a.m. at St. Patrick's Church, Patrick Street with interment to follow at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. Heartfelt thoughts and thanks to the kind, compassionate and caring staff, volunteers, residents and the families of residents of Saint Luke's Homes - a loving community. As an expression of sympathy, flowers will be gratefully accepted or donations in her memory may be made to the St. Patrick's Church Building Fund or Saint Luke's Homes. Mom and dad operated O'Keefe's Corner, St. John's first self service supermarket. It was that red and white store at the corner of Springdale and New Gower Streets. She was a very astute business women long before women were considered such and that she could drive a standard transmission delivery van was considered a great talent. Mom was an avid gardener, seamstress, upholsterer and carpenter and was just as eager to build a trestle for her roses as she was to make a pie. Daily attention to a myriad of houseplants was given with gentle care and results were always glorious. Mom loved to knit, crochet, tat and macrame, but a game of bridge trumped everything. She was a Red Cross volunteer, had many close friends and was kind to the less fortunate. Considered somewhat of a raconteur, no one could relate a tale like mom. Her life was peppered with stories of how she talked her way out of sticky situations or had people do things for her that they hardly realized had happened. She also loved to pray, and cherished her daily rosary and her beloved St. Patrick's Church where she was an Extraordinary Minister for 25 years, was a proud member of the Catholic Women's League and attended Mass for nigh on 90 years after her family moved from Maddox Cove. That she could just saunter across the street to her beloved Church and that the Deanery was so close was regarded as a great comfort. Her memory was always a source of wonderment to us and she loved to riddle off prayers, quotes and stories from her school reader and catechism. But mostly, mom just loved us and was truly the best at that. She lived with tremendous sadness from those who predeceased her, but stoically kept and fostered her sense of humor and stalwart disposition. She seemed bullet proof to us and we thought she would live forever. Well, 97 years is nearly forever, and the rest of our forever will never be quite the same. How can we ever thank Holy God enough for the gift of you. To leave a message of condolence, please visit the online guestbook at www.cauls.ca

"Good night dear Angel
I entrust myself to Thee"