January 21, 2015

OBITUARY: Sister Ann Keefe, SSJ

 

REGIONAL

PROVIDENCE, R.I.: Sister of St. Joseph Ann Keefe, 62, a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield, died at home in Providence, R.I., on Jan. 18. A native of Warren, Mass., she was the daughter of James and Patricia (Gorman) Keefe.

In 1970 she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph of Springfield from St. Paul Cathedral Parish, Worcester, Mass. She graduated from Marianhill Central Catholic High School, Southbridge, Mass., and earned a bachelor of arts degree from the College of Our Lady of the Elms, Chicopee and a master’s degree in social work from Fordham University, the Bronx, NY.

She taught for a year at Bishop McVinney Catholic Elementary School, Providence, before working as director and counselor for Project Respond at CARE in Providence. She served in team ministry at St. Michael Parish in Providence beginning in 1982 and has continued there for more than three decades. In 1992 she founded CityArts for Youth, Providence and co-founded the Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence in 2001.

Sister Keefe was the recipient of several awards, including Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless Carol McGovern, RSM Memorial Award, 1998; the Goff Women’s Achievement Award, 2003; Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rhode Island Public Health Association, 2008; The Providence Newspaper Guild’s John Kiffney Public Service Award, 2010; YWCA Rhode Island Women of Achievement Award, 2013; and the Ignatian Volunteer Corps Della Strada Award, 2014.

In addition to her sisters in community, she is survived by her eight siblings: Eileen Swopes of Strafford, Mo., James Keefe of Mattapoisett, Mass., Mary Blanchet of Indianapolis, Ind., Michael Keefe of Gorham, Maine, John Keefe of Warren, Mass., Brian  Keefe of Feeding Hills, Mass., Kathy Keefe of Catskill, N.Y., and Angela Leslie Keefe of Sydney, Australia. She is survived, too, by her longtime friend and coworker at St. Michael Parish, Sister of Mercy Joyce Flowers.

The funeral Mass will take place at St. Michael the Archangel Church, 239 Oxford St., Providence, at 6 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 23, followed by a reception at the church. A memorial service will take place at Mont Marie Chapel, 36 Lower Westfield Rd., Holyoke, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 24. Burial will follow in Mont Marie Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to CityArts for Youth, P.O. Box 27691 Providence, RI 02907; to Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence, 265 Oxford St., Providence, RI 02905; or to the support of the ministries of the Sisters of St. Joseph, 577 Carew St., Springfield, MA 01104.