Six-decade Rockville Centre resident Francis Keating dies at 94

Francis Keating, a resident of Rockville Centre for 60 years, died on March 24, 2022 at the age of 94. Keating will be remembered by his neighbors for his do-it-yourself spirit and walks up and down Princeton Road with his wife of 64 years, Jeanne, even into his nineties.

The longtime Rockville resident was born in his family’s home in College Point, Queens on June 29, 1927, and grew up in the Flushing area. He graduated from Bayside High School.

Keating attended St. John’s University in Queens on the G.I. Bill after serving in the military during World War II. He pitched on the university’s team and became friends with his second baseman and eventual Hall of Fame basketball coach, Lou Carnesecca. Carnesecca coached at the school from 1965 to 1992 and the arena on campus is now named after him.

While playing in the Queens Alliance Baseball League after graduating college, Keating competed another southpaw pitcher from Queens, Whitey Ford. According to Chris Keating, his father said, “Whitey was a pretty good player.” It also turned out that he would be one of the best Yankee pitchers of all time. But Keating was pretty good in his own right and even got a tryout for the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field.

After throwing for a while, Keating was told by one of the Dodgers’ coaches “now show us your fast one!” Keating had been showing them his “fast one” for a while, so that is when he figured he was not going to make the team. Still, he made it a lot closer to the show than most people.

In 1956, Keating attended a dance in Queens where he approached a woman named Jeanne. A year later, they would be married. Their marriage lasted the rest of Francis’ life.

During his long career, Keating spent time working at CBS as an accountant while the company was trying to perfect the VCR when it was on the cutting edge of television technology in 1969. Though involved in finance in his career, Keating was incredibly adept with his hands. He was also known for wanting to do everything by himself. He built his own scaffolding and painted his whole three-floor home when he was 70 years old. He also worked full-time until he was 70. He even mowed his own lawn into his 90s.

He also spent the late 1960s and 1970s instilling a love for baseball in his sons, Chris and Frank, who both grew up playing in the Rockville Centre Little League. Frank is a longtime umpire for the league in his adult years. Keating brought his sons to many Yankees games, as the team was then owned by his employer, CBS. Chris recalled seeing Mickey Mantle play in the twilight of his career and even met Babe Ruth’s wife at a game. During his rare downtime, Keating loved to sit back and watch a Yankees game with his kids.

Francis and Jeanne moved to Rockville Centre in 1962, as the former was looking for a spot with a quick trip into New York City. Over the next 60 years, Mr. and Mrs. Keating were known by neighbors for their long walks around the neighborhood.

Keating continued his walks for the rest of his life, slowly striding side-by-side with Jeanne. Chris said he will remember his father as “super hardworking” and a “tremendously independent person.”

Keating is survived by his wife, Jeanne; sons Francis, John, and Christopher, daughter Virginia; six grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.