BRIAN KEELAN

Remembering Brian

... Pat Binninger

Brian was born on March 6, 1947, in the Bronx. He attended Immaculate Conception elementary school and attended Cardinal Spellman and James Monroe High Schools. He graduated from Monroe in 1965. As far as I know, I was his third girlfriend when we lived in Castle Hill -- Pat Bannon and Noreen Lydon were my predecessors. I dated him between 1963 and 1969, and lost contact with him after that. I used to exchange Christmas cards with his mother, but lost contact with her in 1985 after she told me that he got married. His sister, Bernadette, told me that the marriage didn't last very long.

I do remember some funny times with him -- he always had a comb and was very compulsive about his hair. He was really into the Beatles and Ian Fleming James Bond books in the 60s. He used Life Savers as hockey pucks in the hallways of the Castle Hill Projects! The guys can tell you more about his basketball prowess.

I recall he worked for Metropolitan Life before and after he served in the Army as a combat medic. He served in Vietnam in was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star. He retired from the United States Postal Service, Flushing Letter Carriers Branch 294. Previously, he was a member of the Sandhogs Union. He was an active member of the American Legion, Floral Park 334 and he was a member of the Disabled American Veterans Organization and the VFW Post 6478. (This came from his obituary.)

He died on February 11, 2018 in Florida, where he moved after retiring from the Post Office.

... Greg Waldron

Just a few thoughts about Brian K. It’s almost 50 years since Brian and I returned from military service, he from the war, while I was coming back from a vacation in Colorado. He never really wanted to talk about Viet Nam, and I respected his wishes and never asked.

I think we both got home in search of finding out what was next in our journey. To me, it seemed like everyone else had figured it out while we were gone; college, careers, and lifelong love relationships had been forged in our absence.

We both bounced through a few jobs over the next 10 years. He was a sand hog, a bartender, and a bar owner in Colorado, before joining the Post Office. In the interim, we worked during the week and drank a whole lot on the weekends. We had a special bond and we always seemed to find a way to make it home. We continued this through most of the 70s until I had 2 kids in tow and his work schedule helped curtail our drinking. By that time I was with Julie and he was dating Diane, and we coupled up for New Years in 1977. We lived down the road from each other in Queens for a few years before I moved down to Florida.

Through the years I have often spoken about Brian and some of the adventures we had. Brian was truly a standup guy, who I know is missed by his friends and family.

... Obituary

Brian J. Keelan of Nalcrest, Florida and Bellrose, New York passed away Sunday, February 11, 2018 at Lake Wales Medical Center.

He was born March 6, 1947 in New York, New York to the late Bernard J. and Anna M. (Tobin) Keelan. He has been a resident of the area for 1 year coming from Bellrose, New York. He was a retired Postal Carrier for the United States Postal Service. He was a veteran in the United States Army serving in Viet Nam and was awarded the Bronze Star and Silver Star for Valor. Brian was a member of the American Legion and VFW, enjoyed reading, and was a Union Delegate for NALC in Flushing, New York.

He is preceded in death by his brother James Keelan.

He is survived by his sister Bernadette Keelan of Middletown, NY, 5 nieces and nephews, and one grandnephew.