Richard Paul Keating

Richard Paul Keating, age 82, of Stratford, passed away April 23, 2018 at St. Vincent's Medical Center. Mr. Keating was born in Holyoke, MA to the late William and Florence Keating Sr. He graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 1957, and received his Master of Arts degree in Corporate Communications from Fairfield University in 1983.

Prior to retirement, he was Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications for US Life Corporation in New York City.  Earlier in his career he was Director, Marketing Communications for Diamond International, also in New York, and started his career as a high school English teacher in his hometown, Holyoke, Mass.  He was active in the community and the Catholic church. For many years he was an active member of the Knights of Columbus, Assembly 118 in Fairfield, CT, and a lector at St. Thomas Aquinas Church. He was elected President of the Oronoque Village Tax District a few years after moving there from their long-time home in Fairfield.  

Richard loved history, languages, sports and in particular the Boston Red Sox.  He was a founding member of the lacrosse team at the College of the Holy Cross. A top Latin student in high school and at Holy Cross, he eventually became fluent in French and Gaelic, and able to converse in Italian and German.  Proud of his Irish Heritage, Richard was a longtime member of the Gaelic American Club in Fairfield. Richard loved traveling with his wife, Irene. Their trips included Italy, France, Mexico, Canada, Aruba, and his beloved Ireland, where he reconnected with several relatives and eventually attained dual-citizenship.  His long career in New York City and encyclopedic knowledge of the city’s rich history enabled Richard to inspire his family and many friends not just to visit New York, but to learn about the history of the city and its variety of theater and music venues, restaurants, churches, and sports teams.

He is survived by his beloved wife Irene Dessureau Keating of Stratford, CT; two devoted daughters, Diane A. Moore and her husband Allyn of Branford, CT and Karen F. Gartland and her husband Terence of Flemington, NJ; three grandchildren, Randall Bensey, Matthew Gartland and Brian Gartland, and several nieces and nephews. Friends and family are invited to calling hours on Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Cyril F. Mullins Funeral Home, 399 White Plains Rd. Trumbull, CT, and Saturday at 9:00 a.m.  Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mark’s Church, 500 Wigwam Lane Stratford, CT. Interment will be private. Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38135.

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