BENNY O’KEEFE

JUNE 18, 1974

            A 1973 Chevrolet pickup truck in which Benny L. O’Keefe, 31, 2716 Country Club Drive, died Tuesday night apparently went out of control on a sweeping left turn at the top of Thain Grade and skidded 161 feet before leaving the roadway, police said yesterday.  O’Keefe was pronounced dead at St. Joseph’s Hospital of massive head injuries at 11:05 p.m. Tuesday.  Police said the pickup truck was airborne about 130 feet before striking a hillside and overturning.

O’Keefe formerly owned the Blue Hare Tavern, the Tiki Club, Campbell’s Corner Tavern and 21^st Street Foodland.  He was owner of Canter’s Inn and owner-manager of Lewiston Dairy Inc., an outlet for Carnation Dairy Products.  He was also part owner of the Playmate.

O’Keefe, a former Lewiston High School athlete and an active participant in Lewiston-Clarkston Parks & Recreation Department softball and pool leagues, was a past president of the Lewiston Slowpitch Ass’n.  He was a member of the Lewiston Elks Lodge and a past member of the Lewiston Golf & Country Club.  He also served in the National Guard. 

O’Keefe was born Sept. 8, 1942, at Lewiston to Orville and Berdine O’Keefe  He lived at Lewiston most of his life except for short stays at Asotin between 1948 and 1951 and Joseph, Ore., between 1959 and 1960.  He married Linda Kennedy July 14, 1967, at Coeur d’Alene.  She survives at their family home.  Other survivors include two sons, Terry and Mickey, and a daughter, Susan Marie, a half-brother, Jerel Autrey of Colorado Springs, Colo., and his father at Clarkston.

The funeral is set for 10 a.m. Saturday at Malcom’s Brower-Wann Memorial Chapel.  Burial will be at Normal Hill Cemetery.  The family suggests any memorial donations be made to the Lewiston-Clarkston Parks & Recreation Department.