Kevin Keefe

We are deeply saddened to share that Kevin Keefe died suddenly of a heart attack on Sunday, September 1st, 2024 at the age of 75. Pre-deceased in 2018 by his cherished wife of 41 years, Clare (nee Macdonald), Kevin leaves his sons Joseph Keefe and Brian Keefe (Charlotte Killen), his siblings and in-laws Marilyn Flynn, Cheryl Bradley (Terry), Ron Keefe (Denise), Mary Lee Keefe (Guy Manuel), Birgitte Scheel, Joan MacDonald, Peter MacDonald, Fred Macdonald (Gordia), Ron Macdonald (Elaine), Stephanie de Graaf (Peter), Vince Macdonald (Cealy), Kathy Macdonald, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and a vast extended family of Keefes, Carraghers and Macdonalds who will miss him greatly. Along with Clare, Kevin was pre-deceased by his parents Les and Helen Keefe, his brothers Paul Keefe and Wilfred Keefe, his infant sister Sharon Keefe, and his in-laws Brian Macdonald, Dick Flynn and Anna Keefe.

Born in Ottawa in 1949, Kevin was the fourth of seven siblings. The family moved to St Catharines when Kevin was four, then to the Clarkson area of Mississauga when he was in high school. After graduating from the University of Ottawa, Kevin settled in Halifax in the early 1970s and went into business with his brother Wilfred. They invested in real estate and opened Ginger's Tavern, followed by the Seahorse Tavern and Thackeray’s Restaurant. Around this same time, Kevin met Clare, a registered nurse, and they married in 1977, then welcomed Joe in 1979 and Brian in 1981. Over the next fifteen years until Wilf’s death in 1989, Kevin and Wilfred played a pivotal role in building Halifax’s hospitality scene.

In the 1980s, Kevin developed an interest in the English concept of a ‘brewpub’ – a combination restaurant and brewery then all but unknown in Canada. Undeterred by his lack of practical experience, he travelled to the UK and studied “real ale” brewing at the Ringwood Brewery under Peter Austin and Alan Pugsley. In 1985, he opened the Granite Brewery in Halifax, writing up local by-laws around brewpubs himself to ensure a clear path for future brewers. In 1991, Kevin partnered with his brother Ron to open a Granite Brewery in Toronto, and eventually worked proudly in the brewery alongside his sons. Today, brewpubs and craft ale are ubiquitous across the country, thanks in large part to Kevin’s passion, vision and ever-trailblazing nature.

After losing his father Les to cancer in 1972, Kevin’s mother Helen developed early-onset Alzheimer’s, and he and Clare took care of her with little community support available to them. A few years after Helen’s death, Kevin attended an ad-hoc gathering of caregivers to offer his help and guidance, and left that meeting having volunteered as the first president of the newly formed Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia. He later served as President of the Alzheimer Society of Canada, just one of the many ways Kevin gave back. He long remained a patron of the Halifax emerging art and music scene, regularly hosting open mic nights that served as a platform for aspiring local talent. Kevin never stopped looking for ways to support the people and communities closest to his heart.

Outside of his work and community service, Kevin maintained a keen interest in politics at every level. He was an avid reader, averaging a novel per day and often re-reading books when he couldn’t find a new one on his packed shelves. He retained a lifelong connection to Prince Edward Island, where both of his parents were born and where he spent his childhood summers. He also loved spending time with Clare and his boys at her family’s cottages on Hall’s Harbour and Huntington’s Point in the Bay of Fundy. He will be remembered by his loved ones as an innovator, a wonderful storyteller and a truly kind and generous man.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Kevin’s memory to the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia: https://alzheimer.ca/ns/en/donate. Visitation will be held on Monday, September 16th 2024 from 6-8 pm at Cruikshank’s Funeral Home, 2666 Windsor Street. Funeral Mass on Tuesday, September 17th at 11 am, St Agnes Catholic Church, 6903 Mumford Rd, Halifax.