Crossing Guard Mourned In Milford

Thomas enlisted in the Army at New Haven, CT on 24 February 1941 and volunteered for parachutist duty..

On 10 August 1944, Sgt Keating was transferred from the 11th Replacement Depot to Hq/3rd, 508th PIR.

Sgt Keating was wounded in action in Belgium on 31 December 1944.

His military decorations include the Purple Heart and the Bronze Service Arrowhead device for the Holland campaign and Airborne operations.

He was initially discharged on 10 November 1945 but re-enlisted on 13 January 1949.  He served until 3 September 1952.  Veterans Administration records indicate that he attained the rank of 1st Sergeant.

By ANTHONY SPINELLI spinelli.connpost@snetrewscom

MILFORD — An octogenarian who spent 17 years as a crossing guard will be mourned in Milford. Thomas W. Keating, 83, of 54 Ocean Ave., near Laurel Beach, wilt be laid to rest this morning with military honors at Milford Cemetery. Keating was a fixture outside West Shore Middle School, where he directed pedestrian traffic as the school's crossing guard until retiring last fall. He died Sunday at Milford Hospital after a brief illness. Keating will be remembered for his friendliness, said Macaire Stein, the school's .principal. “All the kids and alt the parents knew him. He was wonderful," Stein said. One school parent, who asked not to be identified,

said being a crossing guard meant a lot to Keating. “Over the past few years, he was stationed at a very difficult intersection and he had lo deal with a lot of traffic. There could have been a lot of accidents there without him. He did a great job.” lie stopped working for the school system just last fall said his wife. Josephine Blinn Keating. She said her husband was a man who will be remembered as a local actor, too. He played roles at community playhouses for many years, including the Polka Dot in Bridgeport. “He loved to act. Hp was interested in a lot of things,** she said. Keating was a member of the Milford Fine Arts Council, where he served on the drama committee and emcecd the Friday night coffee-

-house. He was also active with the former Milford Community Theater. Keating was born 0ct, 4, 1916. in Jersey City, N.J., and was a longtime resident of Milford. ’ He was a U.S. Army veteran who served as a paratrooper during World War II and as an infantryman during the Korean War. He was also in the National Guard during the Vietnam War. according to the funeral home. Keating was a printer by trade, retiring in 1976 from the former Courier Citizen Printing Co. in Hamden. A Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated this morning at 10:30 at St. Gabriel Church.

Anthony Spinelli who covers Milford area news. can be reached at 878 2130

[Connecticut News, Bridgeport, CT]