John Francis Keegan April 17, 1962 – July 4, 2022

John Francis Keegan

April 17, 1962 – July 4, 2022

John Francis Keegan, age 60, of Irmo, South Carolina, unexpectedly passed away on Monday, July 4, 2022. Born at Fort Hood, on April 17, 1962, he was the only son of Evelyn Hersey and the late Ambrose John Keegan.

John's mission on this earth was to be the "hands, feet and the voice" of Christ. He was funny, compassionate, loving and a supportive husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend and co-worker. When he met you for the first time, you would know that he was genuine and a man like no other. He always made you feel like you were his best friend. John had a servant's heart; he cared for others and would give anyone the shirt off his back. His motto was "The only thing in life really worth doing is what we do for others." There was no doubt that he treasured and loved his wife, Deborah Paulson Keegan. The couple wed on March 17, 1984, at Fort Hood and enjoyed a fulfilling, loving marriage of 38 years together. Still too short of time to really enjoy his growing family.

In addition to his wife and mother, he is survived by his sons, Casey Keegan (Chelsea) and Joshua Keegan; daughter, Rachel Jones (Andrew); granddaughters, Emilia Keegan and Alexandria Keegan; and sisters, Carla Keegan, Dawn Dombroski, and Leslie Allen and their respective families.

John was a jack of all trades; he was an expert woodworker creating pens, artwork and furniture. John received his real estate and broker license and opened MarketOne Reality with a friend in Oklahoma. He also worked in hotel management before moving to South Carolina. He enjoyed supporting his Army wife in every way until her retirement after 20 years. John recently retired as the director of Marketing and Business and Community Development for FMWR (Fort Jackson) after devoting over 25 years of service to soldiers and families.

A celebration of life for John was held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12, at Shives Funeral Home in Columbia, South Carolina. Final commendation and farewell prayers were held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, July 13 at Fort Jackson National Cemetery in Columbia. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude's Children Hospital, www.stjude.org.