Obituary of John C. Keilty

John C. Keilty PEABODY—John C. Keilty, 90, beloved husband of the late Theresa (MacLellan) Keilty, died in his sleep Friday morning at Putnam Farm in Danvers. Born in Peabody, he was the son of the late Patrick and Bridget (Killeen) Keilty. He was a 1939 graduate of Peabody High School, then studied ornamental horticulture at Essex Agricultural High School 1940 - 1941, where he captained the Cross Country and was a miler for the Winter Track team. He served in Europe with the U.S. Army’s 66th Division as a Staff Sergeant during World War II, and was an Army Ranger. Jack completed the Boston Marathon in 1941, finishing in just under three hours. Mr. Keilty was a Letter Carrier for 37 years with the United States Postal Service’s Peabody office. He retired in 1984. He was very active in St. John the Baptist Parish in Peabody, as a member of the Holy Name Society and serving on the Parish Council, and as a Eucharistic Minister. He also served as a volunteer companion with North Shore Elders Services for over 15 years. Jack was a true gentleman and had a terrific sense of humor. He enjoyed international travel with his wifeand loved the ocean, spending many Summer Sundays on West Beach in Beverly Farms with friends and family. He is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Atty. John “Jack” and Bernadette Keilty of Peabody and Atty. Charles “Chuck”and Terry Keilty of Georgetown; four grandchildren, Shaun Keilty Olenio and her husband Anthony of Danvers, Ian Keilty of Peabody and Joshua Keilty of Georgetown and Emma Keilty of Medford; a sister, Marie Skerry of Peabody, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded also in death by two brothers, Thomas and Lester Keilty. Following cremation, relatives and friends are kindly invited to a Funeral Mass to celebrate his life on Thursday October 4, 2012 at 11 AM in St. John the Baptist Church in Peabody, with urn burial in Cedar Grove Cemetery, Peabody. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of the North Shore & Greater Boston, 75 Sylvan St., Suite B-102, Danvers, MA 01923. P