team

“I believe that service to the community is the rent you pay for the space you occupy… being a family owned and operated funeral home means our family helping your family with care, compassion, and creativity.”

Ed Keohane, son of company founder  Cornelius V. Keohane, has been working at Keohane since 1964 and currently serves as the company Chairman. His passion and professionalism help establish Keohane as a leader in funeral service, and as a company that listens to their client's needs and fulfills them in a special manner.

Ed has many past and present involvements in clubs and professional affiliations. He is Chairman of the Quincy Partnership, a group of passionate small businesses focused on highlighting Quincy’s rich history and making it a better place to live, work, and play.

Additionally, his affiliations include: past President of Massachusetts Funeral Directors Association, past board member of New England Institute, past President of Select Independent Funeral Homes Association, member of National Funeral Directors Association, past Chairman of the Board of Colonial Federal Savings Bank, past President and member of Quincy Rotary Club, past Grand Knight of Quincy Knights of Columbus, past President of the BoSox Club, past director and member of the South Shore Chamber of Commerce, past President of Quincy Chamber of Commerce, board member of Quincy Catholic Academy.

Outside of work, Ed enjoys traveling, baseball, boating, gardening, and spending time with family.

“I think it always comes down to the golden rule when you’re helping people through such a difficult time in their life: treat others as you would like to be treated. We walk with families every step of the way, offering suggestions, guidance, and humor when appropriate – always with respect and compassion.”

John Keohane and his brother Dennis are responsible for the overall operation of the family business, receiving support and advice from their father, Ed, who serves as Chairman. John helps families plan funeral services for loved ones, ensures business operations are being run smoothly, and keeps the company active in the community.

The biggest challenge as co-president is constantly making company changes to reflect current attitudes and perceptions of what a funeral is now and what it will look like in the future. John works hard to balance the two needs: protect the best traditions, and remain relevant in the eyes of the community. Overall, the position is both rewarding and challenging – something John wouldn’t change for the world.

John is a graduate of Providence College and New England Institute at Mount Ida College, and belongs to a number of organizations, including: Quincy Kiwanis Club, Knights of Columbus, Massachusetts Funeral Director’s Association, Selected Independent Funeral Homes, Graystone Associates, Quincy Chamber of Commerce, and South Shore Chamber of Commerce.

Outside of work, John enjoys spending time with his family, vacations, skiing in New Hampshire, sports, photography, and computers.

“Continuing the amazing level of care that my grandfather and father have fostered for so long is very important to me. Both my Dad and grandfather have made huge personal sacrifices throughout the years to make Keohane what it is today. I strive every day to live up to their example.”

Dennis and his brother John are responsible for the overall operation of the family business. This includes being both a funeral director and a small business owner, two functions that Dennis excels at.

As a funeral director, Dennis finds it rewarding to serve families in their most difficult days, inspired and humbled by hearing people’s life stories told by those who love them. He is passionate about helping families celebrate those who mean the most in their lives, and tries hard to exceed the expectations of each family, caring for every little detail. His philosophy is that everybody’s life has value and when we lose someone we love, the best way to process grief and start healing is to gather, mourn, celebrate, and pay tribute. He believes that a good funeral needs to have both laughter and tears.

As a small business owner, Dennis’s job is made easier by the amazing team he works alongside. Viewing the staff camaraderie is one of the best parts of the job, Dennis says, “our team is upbeat, compassionate, and just good people.”

Dennis is a graduate of Providence College and belongs to the Massachusetts Funeral Director’s Association, is the current Chair of the Weymouth Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Board of Trustees of the Norwell VNA and Hospice Charitable Fund as well as the Wellspring Leadership Circle.

Outside of work, Dennis enjoys spending time with family, movies, and music.

“My philosophy when dealing with families is simply to treat them as if they were my own family, and to always have the compassion needed to touch each family uniquely. I believe that it is an honor when a family chooses Keohane to take care of their loved one, and I feel privileged to handle that experience for them.”

Kathy Kane has the honor of serving families by meeting with them and planning and directing funerals. Taking care of those left behind is also a very big part of her job responsibility.

Kathy enjoys being part of the Keohane team because of their similarities: a family-first attitude and a desire to continuously improve how to serve those families. She is always open to new ideas and encourages families to give feedback.

One of Kathy’s biggest challenges is the array of strong emotions that she faces on a daily basis. Some families have never experienced a death and do not know how they will react. Talking them through what they may experience and allowing them to have emotions always helps, and Kathy takes pride in being a source of comfort in such a difficult time.

After more than 35 years as a funeral director here at Keohane Funeral Home, I have come to learn that what we do is more than a job, it's a calling, a drive that comes from within. We must have enough energy, empathy and compassion to properly serve our families. I feel that it has been a privilege all these years to have had the honor to serve families that have allowed us the opportunity to take care of their loved ones.

“The most important part of my job is making sure that I serve each family with the upmost compassionate care at this difficult time in their lives. At the end of the services, I want to be sure that they were very well pleased with everything offered to them.”

John Comer works with families at the funeral home, making arrangements and assuring each family that he will provide them with the compassion they need and deserve. He values Keohane as a funeral home that celebrates life, and works hard to honor the loved ones wishes as he or she wanted.

Community commitment is important to John, and he appreciates the various events Keohane participates in, especially the Harvest Helpers program. He also really enjoys the summer concert series in Hull, and feels that it is a great way for the community to come together at a happy time for something purely fun.

John is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island and of Funeral Institute of the Northeast. He is a member of several organizations including: Randolph Lodge of Elks, Holbrook Knights of Columbus, T.J. Roberts, and Sons of the American Legion in Hyde Park.

Outside of work, John enjoys spending time with his family, travelling, and attending his children’s sporting and school events. He is also an avid Boston sports fan.

“What I like most about working at Keohane is that our staff works as a team. Everyone helps each other out whenever they can and we all work together to help each and every family.”

Carolyn Delorey is a licensed funeral director and a certified funeral celebrant. 

Carolyn believes in doing everything possible to help families through all of the steps and emotions it takes to plan a service for a loved one. Being born and raised in Quincy, Carolyn appreciates being able to help people in the community that she has been a part of her whole life, as well as the surrounding areas. 

Carolyn has a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Rhode Island College and is a graduate of the Funeral Institute of New England’s Mortuary College with a degree in Funeral Service. In her free time, she loves traveling to New Hampshire with her husband and looks forward to welcoming their first child this Spring. She also enjoys being an aunt to her two nieces and spending time with her family and friends. 

“My approach to working with families is to treat them as if their loved one is my own family, because that’s how I was treated by the funeral director when my grandfather passed away. You have to put yourself in their shoes to understand what they are going through.”

As a newly licensed funeral director, Corinne Leary aspires to grow in her experience and knowledge. She recently completed a course to become a certified funeral celebrant, so she can help families truly celebrate the lives of their loved ones. She has a variety of responsibilities in her role as funeral director, including: meeting with families, coordinating the details during the funeral service, filing paperwork, processing transfers, and assisting with office management.

When she works with a family as a funeral celebrant, she meets with family members and encourages them to share stories and memories of their loved one. Corinne then coordinates, writes and presents a service to celebrate the life of their loved one in a uniquely personalized and loving tribute.

Corinne believes in making each and every funeral service for a loved one as personal as possible. She enjoys working at Keohane and appreciates the trust between all the staff, which have become like family.

Corinne has an associate’s degree in Mortuary Science from FINE Mortuary College in Norwood. She completed her apprenticeship at Keohane and is now a licensed funeral director and certified funeral celebrant.

“I believe that funeral service is a ministry. We are called to serve and undertake the unimaginable for our communities. I cannot imagine doing anything else in my life and am proud to call it my ministry.”

John W. Congdon is a Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer. His responsibilities include caring for the deceased and their family members; arranging, directing, and conducting funerals, celebrations of life, memorials, and visitations; processing required paperwork; personalizing each tribute to be specific to each family; and most of all, doing whatever he can to help the families we serve.

John was born in Framingham and raised in Franklin, Massachusetts, home of the first public library in America. John and his partner Ashley M. Rivera, reside in Quincy. He is active within the Quincy community, and a parishioner of Divine Mercy Parish.

Outside of work, John enjoys listening to music, reading, dining, attending the opera, theatre, and symphony, traveling to new places, and spending time with his partner, friends, and family. He loves coffee and enjoys visiting cafes and bookstores. John is also an amateur calligrapher, and a member of the National Funeral Directors Association. John loves being a funeral director and takes pride in his vocation.

John was raised in Franklin, Massachusetts, and graduated from Franklin High School with the Class of 2009. He attended Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service, Houston, Texas, and graduated with the Class of 2015, earning an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) in Funeral Service. 

When John accepted the position of full-time funeral director at Keohane, he was impressed with their family’s excellent reputation within the industry and within their community. He wanted to be a part of such an organization as Keohane which offered the opportunity for professional growth with the possibility of a long and fruitful future.

"Those small moments when a family member pulls me aside and whispers “Thank you” are what I live for.  Those two words that are read as common courtesy are weighted with so much emotion and relief, and you can truly feel that.”

Frank Maggiore became interested in funeral service during college while working a summer job as a pallbearer and groundskeeper at a local crematory. He was quickly promoted to Chamber Operator and was inspired by the level of care and thought that his manager brought to the families in their service.

As a Funeral Director Apprentice at Keohane, Frank does whatever is needed to support our funeral directors and our families on any given day. His responsibilities include preparing stationary, taking flowers to a cemetery, serving as a pall bearer, setting up visiting hours, taking phone calls overnight, completing transfers, applying cosmetics, and all other tasks that facilitate a family’s final goodbye to their loved one.

Frank grew up in Braintree with seven brothers and sisters, but he recently moved into his grandparents’ old house in Quincy with his girlfriend. Frank’s younger brother Carmen has autism, and Carmen has been a huge influence on Frank as a person.  “He has cultivated a level of patience in me that has helped me with this job and in life,” said Frank.

Outside of work, Frank spends time with his girlfriend, family and friends. When he’s not working on sprucing up the house, he likes to garden and make use of his greenhouse.  He also enjoys golf and disc golf.

Frank began his education at UMASS Lowell in engineering, then went to Quincy College for business.  Once he became interested in funeral service, he started at American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service then transitioned into FINE Mortuary College. Frank became a Funeral Director Apprentice at Keohane in November of 2018 at our Weymouth location and transferred to our Quincy location in February of 2019. He enjoys working with a top-notch team that goes above and beyond not only for their families but for each other.

"My approach to working with grieving families is to not rush them through anything. I want them to be able to take their time and have confidence in every single decision that they are making.” 

Francesca Raymond graduated college with a bachelor’s degree in the middle of the pandemic.  Upon graduation, she needed to find a career with job security.  She also wanted to do something that would help people and make a difference.  With all that in mind, she realized that funeral directing was a perfect fit for her.

On any given day, Francesca may go on a transfer to pick up descendants from their place of death, go to the town halls to pick up death certificates, or take part in making the stationary packages, which include the register books and prayer cards for wake services.  As a Funeral Director Apprentice, she does her best to help out with anything and everything that other staff and Funeral Directors need.

Francesca graduated from Southern New Hampshire University in 2020 and immediately enrolled in FINE Mortuary College in August 2020.  She plans to graduate in April of 2022.

When not at work, Francesca loves spending time with her significant other, Jason, his five-year-old daughter, Miya, and their adorable puppy dog, Bella. Francesca and Jason have plans to get married after she finishes mortuary school.

“I like helping people and being part of the team here at Keohane where there’s a sense of family and a sense of community. I enjoy being involved in all the programs we support to benefit the communities we serve, particularly the annual coat drive which helps so many in need.”

Kathy Loud is in charge of keeping the office running smoothly and the administration process operating efficiently. Her duties include answering the phones, setting up the initial appointments for funeral directors to meet with new families, obtaining and processing death certificates, preparing all paperwork for funerals, scheduling workers and equipment for funerals and visiting hours, and providing overall assistance to funeral directors and apprentices as needed.

Kathy values the family atmosphere at Keohane and appreciates the support from the team. She started at Keohane in 2016 after eighteen years as the office manager at a manufacturing company. In a short time, she has become invaluable to not only the funeral directors but the whole team at Keohane.

Kathy is from Hingham but currently lives in Weymouth with her cat, Daisy. She loves arts and crafts, decorating her house, the beach, snow, and making wreaths for her church at Christmas time. She also loves spending time with her friends and family.

Kathy is very active in her church in Quincy where she works on the women’s ministry and teaches Sunday school. Kathy has traveled with her church missions team to Haiti to a remote village where they bring food, supplies and love to the children in an orphanage there.

“Growing up in a very large Irish family, the Keohane family and the business itself has always been there for our family in our time of need. I’m grateful for the push they gave me to start my apprenticeship in July 2022.”

Office Manager and Apprentice Brigette Gibson oversees the office at the three Weymouth locations and began her journey into a funeral apprentice program in 2022.  Her responsibilities include setting the schedule for the day, coordinating paperwork with the funeral directors and being the primary point of contact in the office.  She is always the first to volunteer for tasks, including answering phones, running errands, greeting visitors—just ask, and she will do it all with a smile!

Brigette entered the Funeral/Embalmer Program at Cape Cod Community College and plans to continue to apprentice at Keohane Funeral Home throughout her schooling. Brigette loves making intentional connections with the families that Keohane serves. All it takes is that one connection to make a person feel heard in their time of need.

She grew up in Quincy, where she lives across the street from her childhood home. She and her wife and son love traveling as a family and trying out new restaurants and food across New England.

“My philosophy with helping people through such a difficult time in their life is to treat every family as if they were a part of my own family.”

Tracey Ginty is in charge of keeping the office running smoothly and keeping administration processes efficient. Her responsibilities include answering the phones, setting family appointments, obtaining and processing death certificates, preparing all paperwork for funerals, scheduling workers and equipment for funerals and visiting hours, and providing overall assistance to funeral directors as needed.

Tracey enjoys working with Keohane because of the compassionate team that shares her work ethic. She also appreciates the company’s commitment to the community, from Family Day as a nice way of giving back, to the Harvest Helpers program that uses the company garden to feed the less fortunate.

Outside of work, Tracey enjoys spending time with her family, skiing, and traveling.

“It’s gratifying to be working in a business that was started by my grandfather and grown by my father, especially knowing that I support a team that helps families in their greatest time of need. Everyone who works here is either family or feels like family.”

Kristin Nelson is in charge of bookkeeping at the Quincy and Hingham locations. Her responsibilities include handling accounts receivable and payable and processing insurance claims for families at Keohane Funeral Home and Pyne Keohane Funeral Home.

Before starting as bookkeeper at Keohane in 2015, Kristin worked as a paralegal for a law firm for twenty-seven years.  She also owned a bridal shop in Weymouth for ten years. Kristin and her husband, Don, have two grown children, both of whom live in New York. She is the sister of Keohane’s Co-presidents, John and Dennis.

Her hobbies include gardening, yoga, traveling, and spending time with family.

“It’s a pleasure to work for a family that cares so much about its community and team. While I’m new to the funeral industry, I appreciate the compassion and professionalism of everyone at Keohane Funeral Home as we assist local families during very emotional, challenging situations.”

Julianne Tracy Lyons serves as the bookkeeper for McDonald Keohane Funeral Home’s three Weymouth locations. Her responsibilities include all aspects of day-to-day accounting for the Weymouth funeral homes.

Julianne was delighted to join Keohane because it is a family-owned business that generously sponsors local outreach programs and nonprofit organizations that support communities throughout the South Shore. Before pivoting to bookkeeping at Keohane, Julianne enjoyed a long career as a paralegal and office manager of a prestigious law firm.

Julianne lives in Plymouth with her husband, Jon. They have two grown children. Summer lives in Connecticut with her husband, and Zachary lives in Boston. Julianne enjoys spending time with family, weekend getaways, restaurants, and outdoor activities.

“There is a sense of relief that individuals and families feel when they make pre-arrangements.  It is an extremely emotional time when a loved one passes away and knowing you don’t have to deal with those details can be a source of comfort.”

Susan Talkowski is in charge of entering, updating and maintaining the pre-planning accounts at both our Weymouth and Quincy locations.  Her responsibilities include scheduling appointments, helping with pre-need seminars, processing payments and insurance transfers, and providing overall assistance to the Pre-Planning division as needed.

Susan loves that Keohane is a family owned business, and she felt like a part of the family from the first day. She’s proud to be part of a company that puts family first and goes above and beyond for the families they serve.

Outside of work, Susan enjoys reading, dining out and spending time with her family and friends.  Susan has three adult children and one grandson, with more grandchildren on the way.  She loves spending the weekends finding new adventures to share with her family.  Susan’s happy place is anywhere with her family.

“I really love what I’m able to do to keep the Keohane Funeral Home facilities in East, South and North Weymouth presentable so families are comfortable when they arrive. Everyone is enjoyable to work with, and it is certainly a team environment. I am determined to get all three facilities looking better than they ever have.”

Matthew Eagles, Facility Manager, oversees the Keohane facilities in East Weymouth, South Weymouth and North Weymouth. He keeps the grounds and property clean and cared for, creating a welcoming environment for families attending services. He works with contractors to maintain the properties and facilities, and performing other tasks for the Funeral Directors and Office Manager.

Matthew is a veteran of the United States Air Force, having been stationed in Texas, Mississippi and South Carolina. The youngest of four, he and his family still enjoy boating out of Marina Bay in Quincy. Matthew also enjoys connecting to the community by coaching youth and high school baseball. He serves as assistant coach with the North Quincy High School Varsity Baseball team as well as the coach of two youth baseball teams in Foxboro.

 “I love being on the Keohane team, and enjoy caring for the funeral home, my colleagues, and the families we serve. At the end of the day, I hope to always make things easier for the families during a difficult time.”

Jack is a Quincy native and a retired United States Postal Worker. Following his retirement from the Postal Service, Jack joined the Keohane family as  Facility Manager, overseeing the Keohane facilities in Quincy and Hingham. Jack keeps the grounds and property clean and cared for, creating a welcoming environment for families attending services. He works with contractors to maintain the properties and facilities, and performs other tasks for the Funeral Directors and Office Manager.

In his spare time, Jack enjoys spending time with his wife, family and dogs, golfing, and traveling to his vacation home in Wells, Maine.