Obituary for Erskine L. Keary
Erskine L. Keary, a 20 year resident of the area, died after a short illness. He was 91.
The son of the late Thomas and Blanche (Hallback) Keary, Erskine was born in Harlem, NYC, on January 9, 1929, after his parents and older brother Thomas Jr. travelled north as part of The Great Migration.
Erskine proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1951-1953 during the Korean Conflict. He graduated from the City College of New York in Manhattan and was certified as a teacher in New York City public schools. He taught English as well as math, most notably at the groundbreaking Harlem Preparatory School. He was also active in the struggles for civil rights, gender equality and social justice. Always a thinker, he also authored a book "God search: The Modern Manifestations of God".
Erskine was a longstanding and active member of the Baha'i faith. Their main beliefs are: We are all members of one human race; equality; education, and service to community in order to attain world peace. (https://www.bahai.org/beliefs/) The way he lived his life and treated others is a testament to those beliefs.
A sweet, kind and easygoing man, he was well loved and respected and will be missed by his family, many friends and neighbors.
He is survived by his loving sisters Jacqueline Spriggs, Eleanor Gourdin and Sylvia Brodie, many nieces and nephews across 3 generations and the country. His brother, Thomas Jr., "Tommy," pre-deceased him in 2016.
The family is grateful for all of the kindness and caring for Erskine over the years and especially in recent months.
Visitation and brief Service of Remembrance will be held on Tuesday December 22, 2020 from 1:00-2:00 pm at Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home Inc., 130 Highland Ave., Middletown NY, 10940
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The son of the late Thomas and Blanche (Hallback) Keary, Erskine was born in Harlem, NYC, on January 9, 1929, after his parents and older brother Thomas Jr. travelled north as part of The Great Migration.
Erskine proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1951-1953 during the Korean Conflict. He graduated from the City College of New York in Manhattan and was certified as a teacher in New York City public schools. He taught English as well as math, most notably at the groundbreaking Harlem Preparatory School. He was also active in the struggles for civil rights, gender equality and social justice. Always a thinker, he also authored a book "God search: The Modern Manifestations of God".
Erskine was a longstanding and active member of the Baha'i faith. Their main beliefs are: We are all members of one human race; equality; education, and service to community in order to attain world peace. (https://www.bahai.org/beliefs/) The way he lived his life and treated others is a testament to those beliefs.
A sweet, kind and easygoing man, he was well loved and respected and will be missed by his family, many friends and neighbors.
He is survived by his loving sisters Jacqueline Spriggs, Eleanor Gourdin and Sylvia Brodie, many nieces and nephews across 3 generations and the country. His brother, Thomas Jr., "Tommy," pre-deceased him in 2016.
The family is grateful for all of the kindness and caring for Erskine over the years and especially in recent months.
Visitation and brief Service of Remembrance will be held on Tuesday December 22, 2020 from 1:00-2:00 pm at Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home Inc., 130 Highland Ave., Middletown NY, 10940
To plant a tree in memory of Erskine L. Keary, visit the Tribute Store.
Previous Events
Visitation
Tuesday
22
Dec
1:00 PM
- 2:00 PM
Applebee-McPhillips Funeral Home
130 Highland Ave.
Middletown, NY 10940
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