- Date Of Birth: March 23, 1936
- Date Of Death: February 8, 2014
- State: Maine
Michael Joseph Keane
March 23, 1936
February 8, 2014
Michael Joseph Keane died Saturday, February 8, 2014 at his home in Portland at the age of 77 surrounded by family, relatives and friends after a brief battle with cancer.
Michael was born on March 23, 1936 in Polleeny, County Galway, Ireland to Thomas and Annie (Flaherty) Keane. He was born seventh of eleven children.
He attended schools in his village then went on to Spiddal Vocational Technical School where he studied carpentry and mechanical drawing. When he was 17 he worked at the Galway Post Office, and later moved to London to work in construction and carpentry. Michael was a master woodworker with impeccable attention to detail. He enjoyed the challenge of reconstruction repairs. He loved antique clocks and taught himself to repair the mechanics.
While living in London he met Patricia McDonnell who would become his wife. Michael and Patricia were married in Galway City June 20, 1962. They lived in London until 1964 then moved to the U.S. and settled in Boston, MA. They relocated to Portland in 1968 and became U.S. citizens in 1969.
In 1973, he and a group of Irish friends living in the Portland area started the Irish American Club, and he served as the president from 1978 to 1980.
Michael was an avid reader and enjoyed keeping up with politics and current events. He could be found reading anything from a dictionary to biographies to historical novels. He and Patricia also loved to travel and took trips to Ireland, England, Florida, and Israel.
His true love was his family. He’s survived by his wife of 52 years, Patricia, his son Ronald Keane and his wife Susan of Hudson, MA, his daughter Shalene “Shay” Keane Johnson of Portland and her children Kaydie, William and Chelsea, his son David Keane of Washingtonville, NY and his daughter Kodelia. He was loved by his surviving siblings, brother Thomas Keane of Galway, Ireland, his sister Margaret Keane Hayden of Falmouth, his sister Catherine Keane O’Connor of Quincy, MA and Anne Keane Bourke of Portland. He is also loved and missed by 26 nieces and nephews.
He is pre-deceased by his parents Thomas and Annie, his sister Maura, his brothers Bartley, Sean, Padraic, Peter and Martin.
