PA-SHHH Mourns the Death of Jack O’Keeffe

By Jim Stoltz

SHHH lost a good friend and tireless worker, when John Eustace O’Keeffe, Jr. – better known to all of us as Jack, died after a battle with leukemia on June 6, 2005.

Jack was born in Atlanta, Georgia and grew up there. During World War II, he served as a radio technician. After the war, he received his degree in Civil Engineering from the Georgia School of Technology. Upon graduation, he joined the American Bridge Division of U.S. Steel, where he started their computer applications office in 1952 and was chief engineer of Computer Applications, retiring in 1985. Active in many groups such as Boy Scouts of America and Our Lady of Fatima Church and school, we knew him best for his work with hearing loss. Given his background and training, he understandably helped in communication matters. In his local SHHH chapter, the Pittsburgh Chapter, he was newsletter editor for a time early in the chapter’s life and filled in several times as an interim editor, as well as chapter treasurer. He also designed and maintained the chapter website and the website for PA SHHH. In addition, he served on the Board of Pittsburgh Hearing and Deaf Services and the advisory panel for consumer services for VITAC (captioning services). On the State level, he served as chairperson of the TRS (Telecommunications Relay Service) and was one of the first chairpersons of the Advisory Council to the PA Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (and as Marcia Finisdore notes – the best!). He was a great representative of people with a hearing loss to ANSI (American National Standards Institute). He also served on the board of the National Organization of SHHH and various subcommittees such as the Technical Development Committee. Jack was always keen to be an advocate for the hard of hearing community! He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Ret O’Keeffe and children: Laurence, John, Mary Kathleen, and Francis, their respective spouses, 13 grandchildren and one great-granddaughter, and two sisters.