By Chad Feehan
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
October 13, 2023 Edition
To many, Joan O’Keefe is known as the “Mother of Mount Pearl” on account of her kindness and generosity to those in her midst. She celebrates her 98th birthday this week at Hillcrest Estates in Mount Pearl.
From at-risk children to those who had too much to drink, O’Keefe’s home was always open to those in need.
“Everyone came to my house,” O’Keefe said. “They had nowhere else to go… I was the only one they could turn to.”
Some children in her neighborhood lived in troubled homes. O’Keefe’s was a haven for these children and would make them molasses bread in addition to offering them a loving atmosphere to turn to.
“They’d have naked feet in their shoes sometimes, they were only little children,” she said. “What can you do? Poor little darlings.”
Every year the Thistle family throws her a party at her home in Hillcrest Estates, even getting a few members from the band back for a few tunes.
The Thistle family has been close to the O’Keefes for many years, going back to the days when they would play music in her house.
O’Keefe’s only son Robert lives in Vancouver, but will help organize the party from afar to make sure she has a good time.
Among the annual attendees to the birthday parties are councillors from the City of Mount Pearl, whom O’Keefe delights in calling her friends.
“They all knew my name,” she said.
Hillcrest Estates fitness coordinator Mary Elizabeth Furlong has been witness to some of these nonagenarian celebrations.
“She has a really good birthday every year,” she confirmed.
Furlong mentions the abundance of things O’Keefe is known for within Mount Pearl, and the people who appreciate her generosity.
“She’s known for her swimming, she’s known for being kind to everybody, she’s known for taking everybody in, everybody knew where she lived,” said Furlong. “If there was no one else to take care of you, she was there and they often called on her for that kind of help.”
To this day, O’Keefe continues to be a woman of faith - a devout Christian.
“I pray three and four times a day. I wake up and I pray. I look up and I see Him,” Thistle said. “He was so good to me.”
During her working years, Joan O'Keefe worked in social services, a fitting role for someone inclined to benevolence. She also had a brief modelling stint in Australia, and is known throughout the community for her love of swimming.
