Mike O’Keefe, Class of 1965

Mike O’Keefe graduated from Hamburg High School in 1965.   Even though is family moved a lot in his younger years due to dad Gerald’s service in the Navy, they always returned to Hamburg.  Mike attended 5th grade through high school, where his football career blossomed.  As a talented player, Mike was an ECIC top-ten scorer and was chosen for the 1963 and 1964 Football Division I All-Star Teams.  Mike was also named to the All-Western New York team in 1964.  As a former All-Western New York team choice, Mike was named by the Buffalo News to the 50th Anniversary All-Time Western New York High School Football Team.  In addition to football, O’Keefe played two years of JV and two years of Varsity basketball.

Mike did not pursue sports in college, but concentrated on his studies and his interest in design. He attended Alfred State College from 1965-1967, graduating with an Associates’ Degree in Mechanical Technology. After that Mike attended the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta. He completed the five-year program in Architecture, which, he says, was every bit as grueling as football practice – and then some. He recently completed 24 hours of continuing education, enabling the extension of his architecture license in Georgia. He has received numerous local, state and national awards from NARI, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. In addition, one of his projects was featured on the cover of Remodeling, a special publication of Better Homes and Gardens. Finally, three of his projects were featured on the HGTV program “Before and After.”

Mike and his wife Charlotte have been married for 51 years. They have two daughters, Jenny (Jordan) Bennett of Leesburg, Virginia and Mary Bradley (Austin) of Decatur, Georgia, along with grandchildren Avery and Liam Bennett and Arlo Bradley.  All of them have enriched the O’Keefe family greatly and brought them much joy.