Obituary of Marie O'Keefe
Marie D. (Bineault) O’Keefe, 90, passed away on July 15, 2025 at Pierce Memorial Baptist Home surrounded by family and loved ones. Marie was born on May 23, 1935 in Lowell, Massachusetts, the daughter of Henry Bineault and Mary Etta (Burke).
Marie recalled a happy childhood listening to her mother play the piano, enjoying family dinners and holidays and vacationing at Hampton Beach. Her father passed away of cancer in 1949 and her mother died the following year following several strokes, leaving Marie, her older brother, Henry, and baby sister Linda orphans. Marie was taken in by an aunt, whose home was anything but loving.
Marie was as an honor roll student and graduated from Keith Academy in 1953. After high school, she went on to nursing school at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Lowell and became a registered nurse. While attending a dance with her girlfriend in July 1953, Marie met the love of her life, John J. O’Keefe. The two married on September 3, 1956. In addition to raising her three children, Marie worked as a nurse throughout her career – both in Massachusetts and Connecticut, she served as the director of nursing at Pierce from 1981 to 1999 and then as director of nursing at St. Joseph Living Center in Windham before retiring in 2000. The light of Marie’s life was her children, five grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
She was a devoted parishioner of St. James Church in Danielson and was a Eucharistic Minister. Marie enjoyed doting on her five grandchildren and seven great grandchildren, shopping and traveling. Hawaii was one of her favorite destinations. Marie was also an avid sports fan of the Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots. She loved food and especially loved candy. Although she weighed less than 100 pounds, when anyone asked her how she was, Marie would respond, “Fat and sassy.”
Marie was pre-deceased by her husband in 2005 and her brother, Henry “Bud” Bineault in 2018. She is survived by her sister, Linda Oswald of Southington, daughter; Donna Leary and her husband Matt Sawyer of Brookline, NH, and Donna’s three children, Trisha Leary, Briana LaFleur and her husband, Nicolas, of Fitchburg, MA, and Kathleen Genetti and her husband, Adam, of Nashua, NH; her son John O’Keefe II and his wife Laura of Brooklyn, CT; their children Meghan Shong and her husband, Christopher, of San Tan Valley, AZ, and Nathan O’Keefe and his wife, Ericha, of Killingly; son Jamie O’Keefe and his partner Jim Bradley of Lamoine, ME. She is also survived by great grand-children Olivia, Cassidy, Hadley, Avery, C.J., Lydia and Ella. An 8th great-grand child is expected later this summer. She also leaves several nieces, nephews, cousins and her dear friend, Alice Regas of Putnam. The family extends heartfelt thanks to Pierce Memorial Baptist Home second floor, nurses and assistants for their care and compassion.
A Memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, September 18, 2025 at St. James Church, with burial at Holy Cross Cemetery Danielson, CT. Followed by a Celebration of Life. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in her memory to St. James Church, 12 Franklin St., Danielson, CT 06239. Share a memory at www.gagnonandcostellofh.com