It is with great love in our hearts that we remember Jeffrey Robert Keates of Kemah Lake, NJ. Born on November 12, 1955 in Plainfield, New Jersey, he passed at the age of 69 on December 16, 2024, surrounded by family at home.
The son of Bill and Shirley Keates, Jeffrey was raised in Piscataway, New Jersey, with his 2 brothers and 3 sisters. He was a graduate of Piscataway High School, and quickly became an enthusiast of cars, boats, motorcycles and anything with speed. Some of Jeff’s most entertaining stories revolved around the setting of a long ride, whether on the road or water, a crazy mishap and always with a great friend along the way.
Jeffrey was the type of person who was always there when you needed him. If something was broken, he’d help you fix it. If you were lost, he’d give you directions. If something needed to be built, he’d draw it out, get his tools and build. Working from the time he was a teenager until his very last months, Jeffrey tirelessly gave all he had to constantly improving things around him and for others. Over the years, he was a business owner, venturing in several different fields; from his messenger service, Industrial and Commercial Services, being the proud owner of Quick Tool Sales and Service, to finally settling into his long standing company of Keates Home Improvement. Through each of these eras of his life, Jeff built lasting friendships with people who oftentimes grew to be considered family.
One of the most esteemed roles in Jeff's life was the one he fulfilled for his family. His greatest memories are of times that were spent on the water, and in the company of his wife, children and grandchildren. Whether down the shore or cruising the waters of Lake Hopatcong, Wallenpaupack and the Chesapeake Bay, Jeff’s lifelong love of boating was shared with those he loved.
Jeffrey was a parishioner of Our Lady Queen of Peace in Branchville, NJ, and a proud member of the Knights of Columbus, the Central Jersey Corvette Club, the NRA, and most recently, was the founding President of the Master Anglers Club, located on Kemah Lake, NJ, and attended to by his children and grandchildren,
Jeffrey’s quick wit, kind smile and enormous heart will be profoundly missed by all those who knew and loved him. Jeffrey is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Nancy and his four daughters Candice Testa and her husband John, Ashley Papcun and her husband Kevin, Katie Keates and Laney Keates; six grandchildren Angelo, Amelia, Salvatore, Ariella, Alaina and Andrew and Briley, his German Shorthaired Pointer. His memory is also cherished by his five siblings; Bill Keates and his wife Dena, Debby Figiel and her husband Ed, Jonathan Keates and his wife Karen, Donna Dinkelo and her husband Steve, Cindy Haug and her husband Charlie, along with his many nieces and nephews.
Jeffrey’s passing leaves a profound absence, yet the love he possessed and the strength he endured through life is an inspiration to all who knew him. Over the past 14 years, that strength was tested time and time again, and not once did his spirit waiver; his positivity and determination was infectious. With great appreciation, the family requests that all donations those wish to make be sent in his honor to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Family and friends may gather from 4-8 PM on Friday, December 20, 2024 at Wood Funeral Home, 16 Main St, Branchville, NJ 07826.
A funeral mass will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, December 21, 2024 at Our Lady Queen of Peace Roman Catholic Church in Branchville, New Jersey.
