Joseph Paul O'Keefe

On Saturday, October 19, 2019, Joseph P. O’Keefe, 66, passed away at UPMC Pinnacle of Hanover.Joe was born in Glen Rock, Shrewsbury Township, on November 30, 1952 to the late John Jacob and Anna Mary (Ryer) O’Keefe. He graduated from Susquehannock High School in 1970.He became a draftsman and designer at Borg-Warner, which is now Johnson Controls in York, until he went into medical retirement in 1998 after 28 years of dedicated service. As a young man, Joe loved cars and motorcycles. He spent countless hours maintaining and repairing cars. One of his proudest projects was restoring his Grandfather’s 1941 Chevy sedan until he had it shining like new and purring like a kitten. Joe also enjoyed refinishing furniture and various woodworking and painting projects. He loved to garden and had a huge truck patch that provided bushels of vegetables for the family, neighbors and his coworkers. He was a dedicated, hard-working man, and loved to help farmers in the area with their baling, harvesting, and caring for the animals. He enjoyed playing UNO with his coworkers at lunch time, especially when he would get that twinkle in his eye before shouting UNO and playing his last card. In later years he enjoyed antique car shows, old movies, TV and spending time with the family. Joe was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, New Freedom, and was a dedicated member of Alcoholics Anonymous of America and their life-saving program. He is survived by his siblings, Judith A. Cline and husband Michael, Joan M. O’Keefe, John J. O’Keefe II, Jeanne K. O’Keefe of Long Beach, CA, Josephine L. D’Agostino, and husband John of Coopersburg, PA, Jerome M. O’Keefe, Julia E. Hunter and husband Kerry; 7 nephews; and numerous great-nephews and nieces, numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. Public viewing will be from 7pm until 9pm on Thursday, October 24 at Hartenstein Funeral and Cremation Care, Inc., 24 N. Second St., New Freedom, where a funeral liturgy will be held at 11am on Friday, October 25.Interment will follow in St. John the Baptist Cemetery.Fr. Benjamin Dunkelberger will officiate.In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory are recommended to the York Area AA Intergroup, 57 S. Beaver St. York Pa 17401, OR St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 315 N. Constitution Ave, New Freedom PA 17349.