MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2017 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Gollott, Tindell, Seymour, Moran, Watson, Barnett, Caughman, Clarke, Dearing, DeBar, Frazier, Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd), Kirby, Parker, Simmons (12th), McMahan
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION MOURNING THE PASSING AND SALUTING THE SERVICE OF HEROIC WORLD WAR II FIGHTER PILOT AND FORMER BILOXI MAYOR, BUSINESSMAN AND STATE REPRESENTATIVE JEREMIAH JOSEPH "JERRY" O'KEEFE, III.
WHEREAS, Congressional Gold Medal winner, Philanthropist and former Biloxi Mayor Jeremiah Joseph "Jerry" O'Keefe, III, passed away on August 23, 2016; and
WHEREAS, O'Keefe, 93, accomplished much in his lifetime, but it was his bravery as an Ace Fighter Pilot in World War II that earned him the highest honor bestowed by Congress, the Congressional Gold Medal on June 2015 on the 150th Anniversary of Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home, where he served as President. As a young Marine Pilot, he shot down seven Japanese airplanes. After the war, he graduated from Loyola University in New Orleans, then joined his father at O'Keefe Funeral Home in Biloxi and vastly expanded the family's business. He bought Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Service in 1958, forming Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home. He and his wife also founded Gulf National Life Insurance Company, which eventually became the state's largest provider of life and burial insurance policies through 200 affiliated funeral homes; and
WHEREAS, during World Wars I and II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War, only 1,447 Americans became Ace Fighter Pilots for shooting down five or more enemy planes in aerial combat. Jeffery O'Keefe, his son and President of Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Homes, said "his father was one of only 72 Aces still living to receive the Congressional Gold Medal," Congress' highest civilian award. The Sun Herald archives in detail O'Keefe's achievements, which were also published in Time Magazine and other national publications; and
WHEREAS, O'Keefe enlisted in the U.S. Navy after the attack on Pearl Harbor and served from 1942-1943. After attending Flight School, he became a Fighter Pilot with the U.S. Marine Corps from 1943-1945. A letter from the Secretary of the Navy praised his actions of April 22, 1945: "Flying his plane aggressively in two engagements against a total of more than 50 Japanese suicide dive bombers, First Lieutenant O'Keefe pressed home a series of bold attacks in the face of hostile fire to destroy five of the enemy aircraft. He became an Ace Fighter Pilot during his first combat fight over Okinawa"; and
WHEREAS, he flew a Corsair Fighter Plane and was a member of the Death Rattlers Fighter Squadron of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Division, one of the most decorated squadrons in World War II. The entire squadron shot down 16 enemy planes. On April 28, 1945, O'Keefe shot down two enemy planes bringing his total victories to seven, which made him the highest-scoring Ace Fighter Pilot in Okinawa at the time; and
WHEREAS, O'Keefe's political career began with his election to the Mississippi House of Representatives, where he served one term (1960-1963). Ten years later, he was elected Biloxi's Mayor, serving eight years. O'Keefe also was a major donor to community causes, including the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum of Art, named in his honor. He raised millions of dollars for the museum and for other charities. By the mid-1990s, O'Keefe and his wife were focused on philanthropy, starting The O'Keefe Foundation with an endowment of $10 Million; and
WHEREAS, O'Keefe helped shape modern-day Biloxi. As Mayor, he carried out a previous plan to transform Vieux Marche in downtown Biloxi into a pedestrian mall, where retail has since been supplanted by offices, nightclubs and other businesses. He also led annexation that expanded Biloxi northwestward and opened Biloxi's harbor to commercial shrimping; and
WHEREAS, he is survived by his wife, Martha Peterson O'Keefe; her son, Steve Peterson (Colleen); children: Maureen O'Keefe Ward (Pat), Cecilia O'Keefe Neustrom (Michael), Kathryn O'Keefe Kaye (John), Virginia O'Keefe, Susan O'Keefe Snyder (Chris), John M. O'Keefe (Leah), Mary O'Keefe Snell (Bob), Jeffrey H. O'Keefe (Lynn), Justin B. O'Keefe (Teresa), Mercedes O'Keefe Huval (David), and Joseph S. O'Keefe (Stephanie); daughters-in-law Annette L. O'Keefe and Janie B. O'Keefe; grandchildren: Allie and Kyle Peterson, Sam Ward, Will Ward, Tess Lawrence, Shannon O'Keefe, Jeremiah J. O'Keefe V, Erin Young, Kimberly Neustrom, Vanessa Tarlton, Emily Neustrom, Ben Neustrom, Tom Neustrom, Katelyn Brown Catterall, Joshua Brown, Clinton Brown, Kellie O'Keefe, Courtney O'Keefe, Chris O'Keefe, Kevin O'Keefe, Caleb O'Keefe, Rose Rider, Cecilia Snyder, Susannah Snyder, John M. O'Keefe, Jr., Jeanne O'Keefe, Bridgette Lovelace, Robert Snell III, Jeffrey O'Keefe, Jr., Jacob O'Keefe, Jordan O'Keefe, Justice Duhon, Jules O'Keefe, Miles O'Keefe, Ellen Huval, David Huval, III, Mary Kathryn Huval, Jody O'Keefe and Keely O'Keefe; 33 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews; and
WHEREAS, nothing surpassed Jerry O'Keefe's love of family. His family noted in a written remembrance: "The happiest moments of his life, by his own account, were in the relaxed informal company of his sprawling family: on fishing trips in the Gulf of Mexico; during shrimp, crab or crawfish boils in the backyard; watching Fourth of July fireworks from the front yard; or, cooking traditional dinners of fried chicken on Sundays; and
WHEREAS, Jerry O'Keefe was awarded the Navy Cross, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, the Gold Star and the Congressional Gold Medal for American Flying Aces. Jerry O'Keefe's legacy is a strong and free America, and for this and for a lifetime of selfless service, a grateful state thanks his family:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby mourn the passing and salute the heroic service of World War II Ace Fighter Pilot and of former Biloxi Mayor, Businessman and State Representative Jeremiah Joseph "Jerry" O'Keefe, III, and extend the deepest sympathy of the Legislature to the family of a Mississippi Civic Leader, Businessman and Veteran of brilliant intellect and untiring energy.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the surviving family of Jerry O'Keefe, forwarded to the Biloxi City Council, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.