Passing of Longtime SAL Officer Frannie Keashen
Francis Xavier Keashen, 59, was from the Erlton South section of Cherry Hill Township, a small housing subdivision squeezed between the Cooper River and Route 70 that resembled neighborhoods in the East Falls section of Philadelphia. Growing up with five siblings in the short, stocky three-bedroom home along the streets of the suburbs in South Jersey made Fran a creature of habit and it was here in the serene setting in the shadow of the Garden State Race Track and Queen of Heaven Church that Fran grew up.
Fran was the second youngest of an Irish Catholic family made up of his beloved mother, Mary, and father Daniel, four sisters, Maryanne, Patricia, Eileen, Kate, and his brother, Daniel. The family moved from Philadelphia to Delaware Township in 1953. He attended the Queen of Heaven catholic school a block from his boyhood home and was a graduate of Cherry Hill High School West.
He had a litany of different jobs throughout his life from a career as a heating and air conditioning technician to medical equipment supplier and technician. He was a passionate Philadelphia sports fan who maintained Eagles season tickets in the 700 level for decades and was a regular attendant at Flyers games with his brother and nephew Dan.
In his most natural state, Fran could be seen throwing a football with nephews and nieces around the backyard of his mother’s house during annual BBQs. Legions of family and friends would attend these gatherings, and he would take up his spot at the picnic table sipping on a Rolling Rock and listening to the mellow sounds of Steely Dan coming out of the garage.
“Franky lived for summer BBQs and would take great joy in seeing family come in from Philadelphia to eat, drink and play the annual softball game in the park,” his nephew, Dan Keashen said. “Those were the times he seemed the happiest. That said, an Eagles win over the Cowboys would send him over the moon.”
He cherished time in Lake George, NY with family and always planned for a special week out of the year to take the six-hour drive to pitch a tent and camp at Rogers Rock. He loved spending time at his good friend Orlando Barnabei’s house in Londonderry, VT, and even served for a short period of time as the groundskeeper for the property.
He was a former officer in the Sons of the American Legion and a member of the American Legion Post 372 in Cherry Hill.
Everything Fran knew was from Erlton and the surrounding neighborhoods. He traveled the country, but always came back to Edison Avenue. Growing up there, he made a cadre of lifelong friends that will miss his outsized presence at events and get togethers.
He is survived by his brother and sisters and his nieces and nephews, Tara, Megan, Jennifer, Kathleen, Dan, Timothy and Sean.
A celebration of life is being delayed because of the pandemic and is being planned for late summer. A private internment will be held for family so Fran can be reunited with his mother and father.