Obituary of Tessie (Swiscz) O'Keeffe

Tessie (Swiscz) O’ Keeffe, 92, of Peabody, died suddenly Friday evening at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston. She was the wife of the late William J. Neckar O’ Keeffe. Born in Salem, she was the daughter of the late Dimitri and Mary (Vlodika) Swiscz. She first lived in Salem until the great Salem Fire in 1914. After the great fire, she was a lifelong resident of Peabody where she was raised and educated and attended Peabody Public Schools. She first worked in the Leather Industry for many years in Peabody and Salem. She later worked as a matron for Salem State College for over 17 years before retiring in 1983. She was a very active woman who belonged to the Peabody Council on Aging, was a sports enthusiast who enjoyed tennis, baseball, and basketball. She also enjoyed bowling, dancing, crocheting and doing crossword puzzle, and playing the Massachusetts State Lottery and Scratch Tickets. She is survived by her three children and their spouses, Kevin and Sheila O’ Keeffe of Edgewood, New Mexico, Eileen Leenie and Phil Berube of Danvers, and Jan and Ric Robinson of Palm Bay, Fla., a sister, Helen Canty of Salem, six grandchildren and their spouses, Laurie and Michael Chouinard, Lee-Anne and David Davis, Kerry and Paul Silva, Jennifer and Dan Hamalak, Kristin and Philip Webster, and Ric Robinson, five great grandchildren, Courtney, Michael, Matthew, Quinton, and Alexis. She was the sister of the late John Swiscz and Victoria Thornell, and grandmother of the late Scott O’ Keeffe. Her funeral service will be held on Wednesday at 8:00 AM from the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 20 Church St., Peabody Facility, followed by a Funeral Mass at 9:00 AM in St. John’ s Church, Peabody to which relatives and friends are invited to attend. Visitation on Tuesday from 5:00 until 8:00 PM. Burial in St. Mary’ s Cemetery, Salem. Should friends desire, donations can be made in her name to either the Mike O’ Keeffe Scholarship Fund, C/O Salem State College, 352 Lafayette St., Salem, MA 01970 or the Hospice of the North Shore, 10 Elm St., Danvers, MA 01923