Obituary of Garrett Keating, MD

Dr. Garrett M. Keating, 82, died peacefully Saturday, January 16, 2010 at McAuley Hall Health Care Center in Watchung surrounded by loved ones. Born and raised in Plainfield, Dr. Keating attended St. Mary's School and Plainfield High School, graduating in 1946. From 1945 to 1947, he served in the U.S. Navy as a Pharmacist's Mate at the U.S. Naval Medical Hospital in San Diego, CA. He attended the University of Pennsylvania from 1948 to 1951, I.A.B., and Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia, 1955 - 1960 where he obtained a medical degree. Dr. Keating completed his medical residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the Margaret Hague Hospital and Jersey City Medical Center from 1960 to 1964. He returned to Plainfield and affiliated with Muhlenberg Medical Center (then Hospital) in 1964, opening practices in Plainfield and Warren. He retired from medicine in 1995. Two of Dr. Keating's most memorable deliveries were the Sibiga quadruplets in 1965 and his final delivery in 1988 of his first grand child, named in his honor. Dr. Keating served on the Board of Governors at Muhlenberg Regional Medical Center and was the first doctor to serve as it chairman. He also served on the boards of the Muhlenberg Foundation and McAuley Hall Health Care Center. Dr. Keating was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Wardlaw-Hartridge School, located in Plainfield and Edison. Dr. Keating enjoyed traveling, giving presentations on medical history and spending time at his farm in White Township. Dr. Keating was a communicant of St. Mary's Church in Plainfield and St. Mary's Stony Hill Church in Watchung. He was a member of the Plainfield Country Club His wife, Elizabeth Koch Keating predeceased him in 1997. Surviving are four sons, Thomas and Jennifer Winell of Princeton, Michael and Carroll of Westfield, Garrett and Jackie Gibbons of Piedmont, CA and Mark and Barbara Lynch of Finchville, KY; a sister, Anne Oehling of Worchester, MA; eight grandchildren and one expected Visitation will be held from 2-4 & 7-9 pm on Thursday, January 21 at Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Blvd., Watchung. A Mass of Resurrection will be held on Friday, January 22 at 10:00 am at the at the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception at Mt. St. Mary's Academy, 1633 Highway 22, Watchung NJ. A private burial will be at Hillside Cemetery in Scotch Plains. In lieu of flowers, please send contributions to McAuley Hall Health Care Center 1645 Highway 22, Watchung.