O'Keefe was a member of the Peabody school committee from 1920 to 1922. From 1923 to 1924 he was a member of the city council. From 1929 to 1934 he was city solicitor. He was a member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1943 to 1951.[1] He was defeated for reelection in 1950 and was appointed to the newly formed department of mental health board of appeals by Governor Paul A. Dever shortly after leaving office.[3] He resigned on December 2, 1952, amid a Massachusetts Senate investigation into allegations that O'Keefe and board chair Kathleen Ryan Dacey had collected pay for meetings that were never held.[4]
Death
O'Keefe died on July 10, 1965, at Quigley Memorial Hospital in Chelsea, Massachusetts. He was survived by his wife and three sons.[2]