Mary Lou Fader O’Keefe

(July 12, 1951 – August 31, 2025)

Mary Lou (Fader) O’Keefe, 74, passed away on August 31, 2025. She was with her daughter and had been surrounded by her loving family and friends. Mary Lou will be missed beyond measure. She was a friend to all, a kind and patient teacher, a lifelong learner, an amazing mother, a wonderful mother-in-law, and an even more amazing grandmother. Her family is comforted by memories of Mary Lou, her infectious smile and her use of the double thumbs up as a signal of extreme happiness.

Mary Lou was born on July 12, 1951, in Brockton, Massachusetts, to Robert Gerard (“Buddy”) O’Keefe and Mary Josephine (Duggan) O’Keefe. They raised her first in Hanover and later settled in Rockland with her Mary Lou’s sisters, Donna and Lynne, and her brother Bobby. Mary Lou’s childhood was filled with love of family and friends including her lifelong friend Maureen Shea and her extended family locally and in Boston. Mary Lou graduated from Rockland High School and attended Bridgewater State University where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education. Always dedicated to her craft, Mary Lou later earned her Master’s degree in Secondary Education.

Mary Lou was proud to become a teacher at Qualters Middle School where she remained for the entirety of her teaching career. Mary Lou thoroughly enjoyed sharing her love of math by teaching 7th Grade students and collaborating with her team of teachers. She made many lifelong friends including one of her most treasured friends, Sheila Harvey. She was especially proud to be a part of the QMS Math Team where she coached and inspired Mathletes at competitions across the South Shore. In addition to her love of teaching, Mary Lou was an expert crocheter of afghans and happily taught this skill to others. In addition to crochet, Mary Lou was known to teach others to ski, learn math, make tea, bake brownies, make meatballs and sauce, play Sudoku, and do homework.

Mary Lou was the ultimate people person. Those who knew her will remember her for her big smile and happy heart. Her resilience and unwavering drive to help others achieve their goals was truly unmatched. Mary Lou was generous and thoughtful with her time, and she will be remembered for her willingness to dig in and help wherever needed with no questions asked. She was filled with love, joy, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and she was a true champion for her family.

Following her retirement in 2007, Mary Lou enjoyed many trips and spent a lot of time traveling and visiting with family. She was happiest in the company of others. Mary Lou felt fortunate to spend her final years living in Pearl River, New York, with her most cherished daughter Christine, cherished son-in-law Bill and her greatest pride and joy, her grandchildren, Robbie and Liam. In New York Mary Lou continued her quest for new skills by joining a Tai Chi Class for Beginners and learning how to be the greatest youth hockey fan there ever was in all of New York. She was a hero to us all and the wind beneath our wings. Mary Lou was the greatest gift of all. Her legacy will continue for many generations to come.

Mary Lou was preceded in death by her parents, Robert (“Buddy”) and Mary O’Keefe. Mary Lou is survived by her loving daughter, Christine (Fader) Reddy and husband William, her grandsons, Robert O’Keefe Reddy and Liam Wylie Reddy, her beloved and devoted siblings, Donna McDonald and husband Joseph, brother Robert O’Keefe and wife Kathy, sister Lynne and husband Kenneth, treasured nieces and nephews, Jennifer Dean and husband Edward, Jodie Ventres and husband Tom, Kelly Johnson and husband Ben, Brendan O’Keefe, Kenneth Webb Jr., Nicholas Webb and wife Roxanne and their children, and Zachary Webb. Mary Lou is also survived by many cousins and great nieces and great nephews whom she adored smiling with, including Bayleigh Gidney and her children, Delaney Dean and her daughter, Samuel Dean, Jamie Dean, Jesse Dean, Ben Johnson, Max Johnson, Bella Johnson, Sam Johnson, and Kellan O’Keefe.

The family invites dear friends and family to celebrate Mary Lou’s life and legacy in the Magoun-Biggins Funeral Home of Rockland, Massachusetts, on Friday, September 5, 2025 from 6:00pm-8:00pm. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, September 6, 2025 at 9:00am at Holy Family Church in Rockland followed by interment at the Town of Hanover Cemetery. A luncheon will follow at Lucca – South Shore

The family would especially like to thank the nurses and staff at Plymouth Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital for their compassion, professionalism, and dedication while caring for Mary Lou and her loved ones with the utmost of dignity.