Obituary of Edward Keating

Edward Keating died on May 16, 2019. He is survived by his partner, Elaine Travers; three daughters: Mary Dotson and husband Richard of Oakton, VA; Christine Coakley and husband John, and Kathleen Keating Thomas and husband Jay, all of Duxbury; four grandchildren: John, Kevin, and Katherine Coakley, and Reilly Keating; brothers Dwight Keating and wife Margaret of Pittsburgh, PA and Kevin Keating of Plymouth MA; former wife, Jeannette Asbed; and many nieces, nephews, and friends. 

Ed was born in South Boston, grew up in Jamaica Plain, and graduated from Roxbury Latin School and Harvard College. A champion wrestler, he held many titles and awards in high school and college. During his college years, he discovered his passion for jazz, and loud percussion. He enjoyed many of the legendary mid-century jazz greats and organized the Freshman Jubilee featuring Dave Brubeck. Also a student of ‘life balance’, he managed to get adequate sleep by foregoing classes, after late nights watching Ella Fitzgerald’s Boston nightclub performances. Following graduation from college, he served in the U.S. Army and then began his career in construction and real estate. 

In 1967 Ed moved to Duxbury, where he built custom homes and the Duxbury Marketplace business center.  He served on the Duxbury Finance Committee as well as the Duxbury Land Use Commission, advancing the Town’s forward-looking zoning laws. This regulatory framework became a national model, later studied and copied by many other communities throughout the country. 

Ed had development projects in Marion, MA and several in Jackson, NH. He received numerous awards for his innovative approach of integrating green spaces into commercial developments. Along the way, he developed lasting friendships.

Being a farmer at heart, he built his family home on a defunct apple orchard, where he nursed the trees back to fruit-bearing status with the help of his beekeeping. Ed owned a large cranberry bog in Duxbury and also became an accomplished vegetable gardener. He was a competitive man and ahead of his time with chicken husbandry - a natural way to amend the soil to make his vegetables stronger than those of his neighbors.  Because he was engaging and social guy, he and the neighborhood pals gathered to build an enormous chicken palace.  Despite the puzzling complexity and impossibility of such a notion in Duxbury, he studied and dreamed endlessly of owning cattle. 

Ed maintained a life-long concern for Democratic politics and good government. Because he put friendship before politics, he had great friends from both sides of the aisle. Anointed by his children as the “Table Chairman,” Ed and his friends met daily at French Memories for friendly banter and to hash out topical politics. It was evident to those who interacted with him that he was non-judgmental and everyone had “a place at the table.” 

All activities on the water were his favorite pastimes.  He enjoyed fishing, lobstering, waterskiing and teaching his kids boat handling skills.  Later on in life, it was his passion to go devour a novel on Duxbury Beach. He and Elaine enjoyed great art, fine wine, travel and concerts. Frequently he would amaze his friends with his ability to do complex math equations in his head, very quickly!  Because he enjoyed stimulating conversation, and for love of his grandchildren, he regularly hosted pizza gatherings at his home. 

Friends and family are invited to a gathering at Holy Family Church in Duxbury at 10AM on Saturday, May 25th followed by a funeral mass at 11 AM.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Friends of the Council on Aging, 10 Mayflower Street, Duxbury MA 02332.