Julia Mary (Burke) O'Keefe (1894 - 1967)

Born 14 Apr 1894 in Ballyoughtera, County Cork, Ireland

Ancestors

Wife of John O'Keefe — married 24 Jun 1919 (to 10 Dec 1963) in Buffalo, Erie County, New York

Died 10 Dec 1967 at age 73 in Largo, Pinellas County, Florida, USA

Biography

Julia (Burke) O'Keefe was born in Ireland.

Family in Ireland

Julia Mary Burke was born in 1897 in Ballyoughtra Townland, Creagh Civil Parish, near Castletownhaven South, in the Baron of West Carberry, East Division, County Cork , Ireland in a large cottage over looking Loughine, a saltwater lake with tide inlets from the sea.

Julia Mary Burke is the daughter of Randal Burke and his wife Mary Driscoll. She was likely named after her maternal grandmother, Julia Harrington Driscoll.

Julia Mary Burke is listed on the 1901 Census of Ireland as age 6, and living with her parents, her five siblings, and both of her grandmothers on March 31, 1901: 1901 Census Data: Household - Role - Sex - Age - Birthplace

• Randal Burke Head of Family Male 41 Co Cork
• Mary Burke Wife Female 45 Co Cork

1. Hanna Burke Daughter Female 12 Co Cork
2. Michael Burke Son Male 10 Co Cork
3. Mary Burke Daughter Female 9 Co Cork
4. Julia Burke Daughter Female 6 Co Cork
5. Timothy Burke Son Male 4 Co Cork
6. Katie Burke Daughter Female 1 Co Cork

• Julia Driscoll Mother in Law Female 80 Co Cork
• Honara Burke Mother Female 75 Co Cork

Julia Mary Burke was one of many siblings:

1. Honora Patricia "Annie" Burke Troy, born March 18, 1889 in Ballyoughtera townland, Creagh Parish, Castlehaven South DED, Skibbereen Registration District, County Cork, Ireland, who emigrated to the USA about 1905 sponsored by her aunt Hannah Burke Regan, sister of her father, married John James Troy in Buffalo, New York and had five children, four who survived to old age.
2. Mary Catherine Burke Harrington Cheney, , born October 29, 1891 in Ballyoughtera townland, Creagh Parish, Castlehaven South DED, Skibbereen Registration District, County Cork, Ireland, who emigrated to the USA, married Cornelius Harrington, had one daughter, was widowed, remarried to widower Arthur Cannavan and passed away about 1979.
3. Julia Mary Burke O'Keefe, born April 14, 1894 in Ballyoughtera townland, Creagh Parish, Castlehaven South DED, Skibbereen Registration District, County Cork, Ireland who immigrated to the USA, married John "Jack" O'Keefe in Buffalo, New York, had four daughters who are all now deceased, retired to Florida and passed away on December 10, 1967 in Largo, Pinellas County, Florida.
4. Timothy Burke, born September 13, 1896 in Ballyoughtera townland, Creagh Parish, Castlehaven South DED, Skibbereen Registration District, County Cork, Ireland, immigrated to the USA about 1921, married Elizabeth McMorrow in Buffalo, New York, had three children, was widowed, remarried to Elizabeth "Betty" Ryan from Hagerstown, Maryland, had four more children, and passed away in 1953 leaving Betty Ryan Burke a widow with many children to raise.
5. Catherine Mary Burke born August 27, 1900 in Ballyoughtera townland, Creagh Parish, Castlehaven South DED, Skibbereen Registration District, County Cork, Ireland. emigrated to the USA, lived with her sister Annie's family for ten years before marrying William Cheney in 1935, having two sons, and passing away in the late 1980s.

Life in the United States

Julia Mary Burke immigrated to the Boston, Massachusetts, USA as a young girl, probably sponsored by her older sisters Honora and Mary, probably by 1910 and definitely by 1911, as she is not listed on the 1911 Census of Ireland with her family in Ballyoughtera.

Julia Mary Burke got a cafeteria job working for Child's Restaurant, one of America's first cafeterias, and was transferred to Buffalo, New York where she met her husband.

Julia Mary Burke married John (Jack) O'Keefe, who was born in the Fermoy area of County Cork, Ireland before 1920 in Buffalo, Erie County, New York. They lived at 32 West Avenue on the lower west side of Buffalo until buying a home in the Elmwood area.

Julia Mary Burke O'Keefe became a mother and homemaker. She gave her family a wonderful recipe for Irish Soda Bread.

Julia Mary Burke O'Keefe and Jack had four daughters, who are all deceased by 2014:

1. Catherine O'Keefe, born 1920, who passed away in Pinellas County, Florida on October 10, 1967, and is buried in Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Pinellas Park, Florida next to her parents
2. Mary O'Keefe, who passed away in Florida and is buried in Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Pinellas Park, Florida next to her parents
3. Julia (June) O'Keefe McCall, who married William "Bill" McCall, and passed away December 2013, and is buried in Okeechobee, Florida
4. Rita O'Keefe Lonergan, who married Dr. Walter Lonergan, a top Navy OB/GYN, who passed away about 2011 in California and is buried with her husband Dr. Walter Lonergan in Arlington National Cemetery in Cremation crypts.

Julia Mary Burke retired to Largo, Pinellas County, Florida in 1964, after her husband died in December 1963. Her daughters Catherine and Mary moved to Florida and continued to live with her. The moved into a home owned by her daughter Julia "June" O'Keefe McCall, who had recently moved to Okeechobee, Florida when June's husband was transferred to a new job location.

Julia Mary Burke lost her daughter Catherine to breast cancer on October 10, 1967.

Julia Mary Burke passed away on December 10, 1967 in Largo, Florida. She is buried in Calvary Catholic Cemetery in Pinellas Park, Florida with her husband Jack, her daughters Catherine and Mary, and her sister Honora and brother-in-law John Troy.

Sources

See Also:

• Personal knowledge of family. I knew Aunt Julia for 17 years. Troy-204 15:10, 2 September 2014 (EDT)

• 1894 Civil Registration of Birth for Julia Mary Burke, born April 14, 1894, Ballyoughtera, Castlehaven, Skibbereen Registration District, County Cork, Ireland - https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1894/02256/1848568.pdf

• https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9RXQ-35C?i=36&cc=1488411

• Correspondence with living cousins: "Julia was married in Buffalo 20 Jun 1919. Jack's parents names were reported as Timothy O'Keefe and Mary Hegarty. The bride reported that she was from Baltimore, MD"

• Findagrave Memorial - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/123642554/julia-o_keefe