James F. Keating, 82, of Bethlehem, died Tuesday, November 21, 2006 in the VNA of St. Lukes Hospice. He was the husband of Frances R. (Dugas) Keating. They were married 57 years. He was a retired city of Bethlehem police officer. He worked in the patrol division, the detective bureau, and communications. He retired in 1976 as sergeant heading the juvenile aid division. After retiring, he was employed by the ABE airport police department and the Bethlehem Steel plant patrol. In the mid 1950s, he was one of the founders of the Bethlehem Municipal Employees Federal Credit Union. He was a past president of the local chapter of the Fraternal Order of Police. He served in the Army Corps of Engineers in the European Theatre during World War II. Born in Bethlehem, he was a son of the late Frank and Elizabeth (Murphy) Keating. James was a member of Ss. Simon and Jude Catholic Church, Bethlehem. Survivors: Surviving with his wife are a son, James J. and his wife, Betsy, of Sarasota, Fla.; daughters, Frances A. Coulter and her husband, James, Marybeth Fischer and her husband, Thomas, and Sarah Tulio and her husband, Michael, all of Bethlehem; sisters, Elizabeth Keating-Dunn of Philadelphia and Sister Mary James of Baltimore; six grandchildren, Jamie Ohm, Steven Coulter, Catherine, Stephanie and Paul Fischer and Michael P. Tulio; two great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by a son, Patrick. Services: A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11 a.m. Monday in the church. Arrangements, Pearson Funeral Home, Bethlehem. Contributions: May be sent to the VNA of St. Lukes, 1510 Valley Center Parkway, Bethlehem, PA 18017.
Published in the Morning Call on 11/24/2006.