Margaret Keating Obituary

Margaret Tighe Keating died at Butternut Hills Senior Living in Troy, Michigan on April 17, 2023. She was 93 years old. Margaret was born Margaret Mary Tighe on July 6, 1929, in Detroit, Michigan to Genevieve (nee Milet) and John Joseph Tighe. Margaret grew up in Detroit as a "Depression Baby. " She attended Gesu Catholic School in first and second grade and then transferred to St. Mary's of Redford where she graduated from high school. Margaret suffered two great losses when her father died the day after Christmas when she was just 10 and when her brother, 2nd Lieutenant Thomas Tighe (US Army), died in World War II when she was 14. After completing high school, she furthered her studies at the University of Detroit, earning a degree in Elementary Education all while working in the College Shop at the JL Hudson Department Store. As students attending the University of Detroit, Margaret and her future husband, Lee William Keating from Detroit, met. After graduating in June of 1951, her first position was as a 3rd Grade school teacher at Cooke Elementary School in Rosedale Park, Detroit. On June 28, 1952, she married Lee and moved to Beverly Hills, Michigan. Following the birth of her first child, a daughter, in April 1953, she retired from teaching. Over the next nine years, Margaret had seven children - a daughter followed by six sons. Margaret eventually went back to school to earn a Masters in Education, but was cut short by a few credits when she got pregnant with her eighth and final child. At the age of 41, Margaret had a baby girl, thereby completing the family "Bookends Sisters. " Margaret would later resume her love of teaching through the "Great Books" program at St. Regis Catholic School for over 20 years. Margaret had the distinct privilege of being able to graduate from college, become engaged, and take her first job. This was all while planning a wedding and building a new house. She married into one of the pioneer real estate families of Metro Detroit who were the early developers of the Beverly Hills-Bloomfield Township-Birmingham-Bloomfield Hills area. Her father-in-law, Howard Thomas Keating, and mother-in-law, Stella Long Keating, gave the newlyweds their first property lot in Beverly Hills as a wedding gift. This was just a mile from the family business, Keating Real Estate, located at 13 Mile and Lahser Roads. From that intersection and as far as the eye could see, lots were sold, neighborhoods were developed, and streets were named. There are streets off of 13 Mile Road named Leemoor, Marimoor, and Stellamar all named after Howard and Stella's children, Lee, Mary Virginia, and Stella. Then you have off Wing Lake Road a street named Paterese, after Margaret's daughter, and Chisholm Trail named after the Keating's cousins. When you drive through these areas, many of the streets are named after family friends or original owners of the farms purchased by Howard T. Keating. Even several schools like St. Regis Catholic School, Brother Rice High School, and Marian High School were sold by Keating Real Estate. In 1955, Margaret and Lee moved to Jackson Park Drive in Bloomfield Township with three children and eventually filled the home with eight children. This location allowed the children to ride their bikes to St. Regis Elementary, plus Brother Rice and Marian High Schools, which they attended. That same year, Lee played an integral role in locating land for the Birmingham Athletic Club and the family became one of the original members. All eight kids could now ride bikes to the BAC and compete in swimming, tennis, squash, and later platform tennis. After becoming an experienced equestrian from childhood until her early 30s, Margaret picked up tennis where she had wonderful times with her husband playing doubles with their "Rub-a-Dub" Friday night tennis group. At the BAC swim meets she would proudly receive each ribbon from her children and attach them to her dress during the swim meet in honor of their performance. Margaret was known as a "Daily Communicant" and devotedly prayed the Rosary. From the age of 10 years old, Margaret faithfully attended St. Mary's of Redford Catholic Church daily. After her marriage and moving to the suburbs, she steadfastly continued her daily attendance at Holy Name Catholic Church and later St. Regis. She went on to become the President of the Christ Child Society. In 1976, Margaret began attending the National Shrine of the Little Flower Basilica's Wednesday evening "Life in the Spirit" seminars that were endorsed by the Roman Catholic Church. After a series of weeks of attending the seminar, attendees were invited to surrender their life to Jesus and be "born again" as Jesus said in John 3:3 and 7. Margaret accepted the invitation to be born again, and it radically and permanently transformed her life and eventually the lives of her family. For her 47th birthday, Margaret's only request was for her husband and children to come to the Shrine of the Little Flower to hear about having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Soon after, prayer meetings at the Keating home ensued and hundreds of high school students and neighborhood families came. Before long up to 50 high school students were consistently attending Bible studies and learning how to experience a greater relationship with Jesus through receiving Him as their Lord and Savior, praying, and studying the Bible. One of the things Margaret was famous for was her apple and peach-blueberry pies and Christmas cookies. She had an open-door policy and just loved having people stop by. She was a voracious reader of not only the Bible, but also history and art. Margaret and Lee were one of the leaders of the Young Married Couples for the Detroit Institute of Art and were very involved in the Cranbrook Academy of Art. Margaret was part of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) for most of her adult life. She decided to politely resign from the AAUW when she found out that a portion of her dues was being used for Planned Parenthood. Shortly after her resignation, the local AAUW Chapter came back to her and asked if she would stay if they broke away from AAUW. She agreed and that spawned the "Antique Study Group" that met weekly for many decades. This allowed her to continue learning about the historical events and people that impacted all forms of art. She loved researching and presenting to the group while at the same time hosting the gatherings. She credits her high school job at an antique store as the impetus that fueled her love for antiques and art. In her later years, Margaret had the distinct honor of working at Greenstone's Fine Jewelry in Birmingham, Michigan for 25 years. She loved going to work every day and having the opportunity to help countless friends and families purchase gifts for weddings, birthdays, baptisms, and special occasions. She became invaluable to all the young couples coming in to buy their engagement rings, wedding bands, and Waterford Crystal. She had impeccable taste and a sense of fashion that attracted all generations to her. She not only steered each customer to what she thought was best but imparted a wealth of knowledge helping young couples. Margaret loved being a grandmother of 16 with two grandsons and 14 granddaughters and was always faithful in her written correspondence to those out of state. She will always be remembered for her yearly gifts of gold beads to her granddaughters to eventually complete their necklaces and beautiful classic books of literature. She is survived by her children Paterese, Lee Jr. (Julie), Tighe (Melinda), Mark (Nancy), Brian (Katie), Blase (Heather), Shawn, and Deirdre Margaret Beatty (David). She is also survived by her grandchildren, Kathryn Brooke Keating, Grace Keating Spadafore (Nick), Lee "Trey" W. Keating III, Paige Keating, Lauren Keating Fuhrman (Chris), Hope Keating Clancy (Kevin), Clare Tighe Keating, Bronwyn Tighe Keating Link (Dylan), Kelleigh Keating, Faith Keating, Annie Keating, Reagan Margaret Beatty, David Marc Beatty, Hadley Keating, Blaire Beatty, and great-grandsons, Levi Joseph Clancy, and baby Spadafore. Preceding her in death were her parents, John and Genevieve Tighe, brothers John "Jack" Tighe (Jean), 2nd Lt. Thomas Tighe, Robert Tighe (Ann), and sisters Aloyse Tighe Gillespie (Irving), and Patricia Tighe Merkert (Eugene), plus granddaughter Sarah Melinda Keating. Friends may visit at Lynch & Sons Funeral Home, 1368 N. Crooks Road (between 14-15 Mile Roads) Thursday, April 27, 2-8pm. A Funeral Service will be celebrated at Bloomfield Hills Baptist Church, 3600 Telegraph Road, Bloomfield Hills, Friday, April 28, at 11am. Friends may visit at church beginning at 10am. Burial will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, Southfield. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Enhance Christian Education Foundation, 6204 Fieldcrest Ct. , Suffolk, VA 23435. All checks payable to ECEF, Memo Section: Margaret T. Keating Scholarships.