Obituary of Laura Fay Keefe

Centerville, GA: Laura Fay Keefe, 78, passed away February, 16, 2009 in a local hospital. Services will be held at 10:00 AM Saturday, February 21, 2009, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Monsignor Fred Nijem officiating. Burial will be in Barrancas National Cemetery, Pensacola, FL at 12:30 CST, on Monday, February 23, 2009. A Rosary will be said at 7:00 PM Friday, February 20, 2009 with visitation to follow from 7:30 PM until 9 PM Friday at the funeral home. Laura F. Keefe, nee Burgstiner, was born in Tallahassee, FL on October 21, 1930. She was raised there and in Jacksonville until moving to Georgia for her high school years. She was graduated from Cordele High School in 1947 after having won the state championship for baton twirling as a drum majorette. She attended business school, became a USAF civil servant at Warner Robins, AFB, and in 1950 moved to Fort Walton Beach, FL taking a position at Eglin AFB. By 1964 Laura had met and married her husband, Paul F. Keefe, and left the civil service to become an Army wife and homemaker. She traveled to Fort Benning, GA, Fort Ord, CA, Fort Leavenworth, KS, Rochester, NY, Burke, VA, and Fort Hood, TX. She was the mainstay for her children during three one-year tours her husband spent in Vietnam. In 1979 military life ended and the family returned to Fort Walton Beach. Laura returned to civil service in 1985 and retired in 1994. In 2005 Laura and her husband moved to Centerville, GA. She delighted in raising her two children, Paula Catherine and Michael. She had many interests, especially family camping, fishing, arts and crafts, gardening, cooking and she was an accomplished scratch bowler. Laura volunteered her time at the grammar schools each of her children attended and became a volunteer art teacher for the St. Mary Catholic School in Fort Walton Beach. She was a prolific hostess often serving banquet-style meals while entertaining her guests. Her culinary skills were renowned at each of the locales in which she lived. Laura was a skilled soprano and sang solo for her church choirs through her early adult years. She is survived by her husband and children, and two sisters, Mrs. Edith Wagner of Centerville, GA and Mrs. Linda Knight of Scotsville, KY, and numerous nieces and nephews. Heritage Memorial Funeral Home and Crematory are in charge of arrangements.