John Thomas Keefe

John Thomas Keefe of Mankato passed away at home in his sleep on August 3, 2016 after a mercifully short battle with cancer. He was 82 years old.

Mass of Christian burial will be held Saturday, August 6 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in Mankato. Visitation will take place Friday, August 5 from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. at Mankato Mortuary, with a rosary at 4:00 p.m. and a vigil service at 6:30 p.m. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery in Mankato with military honors.

John was born on January 5, 1934 to Frank and Ruby (McCabe) Keefe in Mankato. He graduated from Loyola High School in 1952. He earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in industrial arts, the former from Mankato State University in 1960 and the latter from Oswego State University in New York in 1971. He also earned a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction from MSU in 1973.

John was a teacher for 35 years. He began his career teaching industrial arts in Hereford High School, Baltimore County, Maryland. After ten years, he returned to Mankato, where he taught industrial arts for 17 years at both West and East High Schools. For the last eight years of his career, he was a media specialist in District 77.  He retired from teaching in 1995.

John served in the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956 in France; he served 18 years in the Minnesota National Guard, retiring in 1998 as a Master Sergeant. He remained interested in military history, particularly World War II, for most of his life.

John volunteered for VINE Faith in Action for 14 years and performed many works of service through the Mens’ Club at St. Joseph the Worker. He was an active golfer and bowler. He was never known to waste an opportunity to make a pun or demonstrate his dry wit.

John is survived by his wife of 45 years, Mary; their son Paul and daughter-in-law Amanda Jack, of New York, NY; brother Francis (“Bud”) Keefe of Temple City, CA; sisters Theresa Kubicek of St. Cloud, MN and Mary Kelly (Ray) of Onalaska, WI, as well as many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents and sister, Sr. Sharon Keefe (SSND).

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to St. Joseph the Worker, Mayo Clinic Hospice or ECHO Food Shelf.