James E. Keefe

James E. Keefe, 85, of Woodstock, passed away on Tuesday, November 21, 2017.  He was born in Chicago, Illinois, on January 13, 1932, to James H. Keefe and Florence M. (Cooney) Keefe. They moved to Woodstock in 1938.  He attended St. Mary’s School in Woodstock through 9th grade, followed by St. Mary’s Seminary School in Crystal Lake, where he had planned to become a priest. He attended college at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. During his sophomore year of college, he was drafted, serving stateside in the United States Army as a military policeman during the Korean War. He returned to college after being discharged to graduate from St. Ambrose in 1957.  Two weeks following his college graduation he married Mary Ellen Burmeister at St. Mary Catholic Church in Woodstock.  He was an active member of St. Mary’s throughout his life and a Knight of the Roman Catholic Order of the Holy Sepulchre.

Jim worked as an insurance agent for over 43 years, working for Country Companies Insurance for 38 of those years.  He was a charter member of the Woodstock Rotary Club, serving as Vice-President when the club was founded in 1968.  He later served as Club President and in many other roles, with a record of over 49 years of perfect attendance at Rotary meetings. He was a “Paul Harris” fellow.  Jim was elected to the Woodstock City Council in 1969, serving two terms, in addition to serving on the Police & Fire Commission and the Woodstock Library Board. He was presented with the Buschkopf Award for community service in 2002. He was also a long-time member of the McHenry County Civil War Roundtable serving as Treasurer.  He was a past member of the Woodstock Jaycees, Lions Club and Elks Club, and served on the Memorial Hospital Board. Jim loved history and was well-known for his “History of Woodstock” slide presentation which he gave to many groups over the years.  Jim was an avid photographer who loved to travel and document his trips.  He traveled all over the world with Mary Ellen before her death in 2002, attending “make up” Rotary meetings and Mass wherever they happened to be.

Jim is survived by his children; Kelly (Mark) Afeld, Erin (Steve Walters) Anderegg, Patrick (Katherine) Keefe, and Quinn Keefe, grandchildren; Kendra (Patrick) Johnson, Trevor (Grace) Schacht, Greta (Zachary) Walters, Lauren (David Phu) Keefe, Bridget (Ara Pardini) Afeld, Hanna Schacht, Joseph Keefe, Hailey Keefe and Katelyn Keefe, and great-grandchild; Ella Schacht.  Jim is also survived by his sister, Jane (Robert) Larson, his brothers-in-law, Henry (Kay) Burmeister, Thomas (Sally) Burmeister, and sister-in-law Kathleen (Robert) Hemsen, many nieces and nephews, and numerous Rotary Exchange students from all parts of the world who were hosted by Jim and Mary Ellen throughout the years. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Mary Ellen, his granddaughter, Sara Schacht, and his son-in-law, Richard Anderegg.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, November 26, 2017, from 3:00 to 7:00 pm at Schneider Leucht Merwin & Cooney Funeral Home, 1211 N Seminary Ave. (Route 47), Woodstock, IL. On Monday, November 27, 2017, visitation will continue at St. Mary Catholic Church, 312 Lincoln Ave., Woodstock, at 10:00 am, followed by Mass at 11:00 am. Interment will be held at Calvary Cemetery, Woodstock.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Jim’s name to the Woodstock Rotary Christmas Clearinghouse or JourneyCare Hospice Foundation.