The legacy begins with Edward “Ned” O’Keefe and his sister who immigrated from Ireland to New Orleans and later Ocean Springs on the heels of the Irish potato famine. Edward O’Keefe bought property on Porter Avenue on February 3, 1859 and started a livery business and boarding house to serve the tourists traveling to town to bathe in the natural artesian wells, which were touted to be of healing nature.  He enlisted in the Live Oak Rifles 3rd infantry during the Civil War. At the conclusion of the war in 1865, Ned returned to work the land. He was called upon with his drayage to carry those who had passed to the local cemetery.

Edward and his wife Mary had two children, Jeremiah and Mary Helen. Upon Edward’s death in 1874, Jerry and his mother, Mary, carried on the livery service, and in 1892, Jeremiah named the business “O’Keefe Funeral Services” in Ocean Springs. When Ocean Springs became incorporated, Jerry was appointed a provisional officer and later elected to serve as alderman, taking office September 19, 1892.  Jeremiah I was the first member of the family to hold a political office.

Jeremiah I and his wife, Alice Cahill, had five children. One son, John Aloysius O’Keefe, served as the Mayor of the City of Biloxi before resigning to become the Adjutant General of the Mississippi National Guard. A daughter, Mary Cahill O’Keefe, served the City of Ocean Springs as School Principal before becoming Mississippi’s first female Superintendent of Schools.

Jeremiah O’Keefe, I died November 6, 1911, following an operation for appendicitis.  After his death, his sons Jeremiah II (Ben), John, and Jodie O’Keefe conducted the business, and on June 4, 1923, the O’Keefe family located the Funeral Home in Biloxi at 601 W. Howard Avenue across from the Nativity Cathedral.  The O’Keefe Burial Association was also established to help families fund funerals. Ultimately, Jeremiah II (Ben) O’Keefe acquired sole ownership and management of the Business.

Ben’s son, Jeremiah (Jerry) O’Keefe, III, was a World War II Ace Fighter Pilot and served the people at home in state and local politics, including eight years as Mayor of Biloxi and four years in the legislature before acquiring the business from his dad in 1953. This acquisition solidified the fourth generation of the family to carry the business forward.  

Ben’s son, Jeremiah (Jerry) O’Keefe, III, was a World War II Ace Fighter Pilot and served the people at home in state and local politics, including eight years as Mayor of Biloxi and four years in the legislature before acquiring the business from his dad in 1953. This acquisition solidified the fourth generation of the family to carry the business forward. 

Jerry joined forces with the Bradford Funeral Home Company, and the two companies merged forming the present-day Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, Inc. Jerry and Annette had thirteen children. His tenth child, Jeffrey H. O’Keefe, joined as a fifth-generation family member in the business during his high school years in 1973 and returned following college to eventually assume ownership and serve as CEO of Bradford-O’Keefe. With the philosophy of giving families what they want, Bradford-O’Keefe established the first crematory in the State of Mississippi. In 1989 the Lang family joined the O’Keefes in Gulfport who are funeral professionals dating back to 1884 when John H. Lang conducted business in Pass Christian, MS. A. W. “Buzzy” Lang was the former Mayor of Gulfport and his son A. W. “Bubba” Lang has served families with Bradford-O’Keefe for more than thrity years. The funeral home business has grown and added multiple locations which now operate chapels in Ocean Springs, two locations in Biloxi, two locations in Gulfport, and Vancleave. The company also owns D’Iberville Memorial Park and Crestlawn Memorial Park Cemeteries.