Verna Joyce O'Keefe

Verna Joyce O’Keefe, 92, of Neptune, NJ, passed away peacefully on February 11, 2026, in Lancaster, PA with loving family members with her throughout her brief illness. She was born in Long Branch, NJ on May 22, 1933, to Leon E. and Verna M. Stout, and grew up in Red Bank, NJ. A graduate of Red Bank High School, she worked at Fort Monmouth until her first marriage. She returned to Red Bank in 1968 and worked in administration at Fort Monmouth, and at U.S. Army CECOM, Tinton Falls, NJ.

Joyce was a strong, independent, and resilient woman. She was a loving mother and grandmother and guided her family through many challenges. She enjoyed nature and the outdoors, frequently camping with her children and taking trips to parks and the beach. She was actively involved with her children in Parents Without Partners, serving as president and being named Single Parent of the Year in 1971 for her many contributions to her chapter.

She married her long-time companion, Fred O. Armstrong, in 1995. They loved dancing, and she became an enthusiastic birder with him. They took many trips across the world with the Audubon Society, often camping in rain forests and other isolated settings to track and identify birds. At home, they maintained a butterfly garden and nurtured Monarch butterfly eggs to maturity.

She was predeceased by her parents, and her daughter Sharon Beth O’Keefe. She leaves behind her loving husband, daughters Pamela O’Keefe, Des Allemands, LA, Lisa Walker, Ephrata, PA, and Kathleen Mulcahy, Denver, PA; three step-children Lauren, Gene, and Glenn Armstrong; her cherished ten grandchildren Brian Yost, Jeremy Diamond, Melissa Ary, Heather Duncan, Ricky, Chris and Josh Wilson, Victoria (Craig) Kellon, Kevin and Braden Mulcahy; and eighteen greatgrandchildren, including Liam and Sydney Kellon. Also, her brother Leon J. Stout and his wife Dee, State College, PA; nephew David Stout and niece Christine Smith.

A gathering of remembrance will be held at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in her memory to Monarchconserrvation.org.