Joanne E. Keefe

**Effective Monday, December 13, 2021, the New York Governor announced masks will be required to be worn for all individuals aged 2 and above, in all indoor public places even if you have been vaccinated. Thank you for your cooperation!

Joanne Keefe (Yeates) of Wantagh, NY passed away unexpectedly on February 3 ^rd , 2022.  She was 60 years old.

Born and raised on Park Ave, Joanne remained Wantagh through and through her entire life. A friendly face familiar to most local shopkeepers, she could often be spotted riding her red bicycle about town.  Shortly after graduating from Wantagh High School in 1979, she began her 41-year career with New York Telephone (now Verizon) at their regional headquarters on Wantagh Ave.  It was also in town that she first met the love of her life Michael Keefe in 1981 and where the two eventually married in the back yard of their downtown home fifteen years later.  That home became the center of Joanne’s universe for the remainder of her time here on earth and she took great joy in sharing it with countless friends and close family.  It was also where you could find her deep love of animals on full display as both she and Michael cared for and nurtured a menagerie of beloved pets over their many years together.

Although not particularly religious, Joanne maintained a deep belief in angels. This spiritual connection motivated her to take up painting later in life and was the inspiration for dozens of beautifully abstract, colorful canvases that she produced over the last two decades.  As her work began to receive notice beyond her home gallery, she soon accepted an offer to have several of her images reproduced on a line of greeting cards.  To those that knew her well, Joanne’s connection to angels echoed beyond her art and into her everyday life. As she chose to forego the use of computers, social media and even cell phones, she spent a great deal of time reaching out to and looking after her friends via frequent cards, packages, phone calls and her infamous ‘birthday serenades’.  Though never without her own struggles, Joanne’s priority always remained those closest to her and anyone in their time of need.

She is survived by her husband Michael Keefe of Wantagh, NY; mother Marsha Yeates of Bellmore, NY; sisters Alison Dekar (Yeates) of Eugene, OR and Nancy Yeates of Hazelton, PA and brothers Herb Yeates (Charo) of Colombia, South America and Christopher Yeates (Cindy) of Brookfield, CT. She was predeceased by her father Herbert Yeates Jr.

Memorial Visitation to be held Sunday, February 20, 2022, from 4:00 - 8:00 PM at the Charles G. Schmitt Funeral Home, 3863 Merrick Rd., Seaford, NY.  (2 Traffic Lts. East of Rte. 135).  In lieu of flowers, donations to Last Hope Animal Rescue in Wantagh would be greatly appreciated. Joanne spent several years as a volunteer at their adoption center.

www.schmittfuneralhome.com