Father Tom Gerard Keyes M.B.E.

Loved and respected by his family and community, we will miss Father Tom Keyes. Survived by his nieces, nephews and grande nieces and nephews and the many people he cared for in Invercargill and Gore including those from the Borstal. He was awarded a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1971 for services to the rehabilitation of young offenders.

Rest in peace Father Tom.

I remember Fr. Keyes visiting us at St. Mary’s in Gore in the mid 70’s. I had never seen a ‘young’ priest before. In the late 90’s to early 2000’s he was very kind and a good friend to my mother in Roxburgh. Mum really enjoyed their talks and her faith was to become stronger through this time. Fr. Keyes was the priest to inter Mum in 2003 in Invercargill. I have never heard a bad word about him. A man of God, at rest after a long and faithful service to God and his people. R.I.P.

In the sure hope and certainty of the Resurrection to Eternal Life, we recommend Fr Tom to you Almighty Father.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, intercede for Fr Tom. Requiescat In Pace.

Rest in Peace Father Tom. You have touched many lives in your life as a Catholic Priest and your work at Marysville certainly changed many young men’s lives. I cannot get down for your Funeral Mass but I will watch the live stream and will have a Mass offered up for Father Tom on Monday.

Rest in Peace Father Tom and I am sure that God will welcome you home saying to you, thank you Father Tom for a job well done.

A much respected and loved man who had a great influence in the lives of troubled young men . Remembered with respect and affection , a long life well lived .

My condolences to families and friends of Farter Tom,a friend and mentor to me since 1968.R ,I P,Father,

Father Tom Keys helped so many people the youth the poor and food kitchen
He was a good friend and school mate of my Father Vin Burke
Great memories of the Tay street youth group and socials
RIP

Sitting here, in the UK, with a glass of wine, to toast the passing of my Uncle Father Tom Keyes.
I'm his niece, Philippa. And we were just with him in Invercargill six weeks ago, and we had such a lovely time.
it was almost like we knew it was a goodbye!
And when I walked in the door, he saw me, and he thought There's Elsa! And said you Philippa, look just look like your mother Elsa. He was delighted to see us all.

Philippa his niece and her husband Terry who had both flown in from the UK, and his great niece Cheyanna who had flown in from Australia.

It was a wonderful time we had, sharing memories of Tom and Elsa when they were young people
in Queenstown walking the mountains and my father Ian, as they all had grown up together and shared a great friendship and love for each other.
When I travelled around New Zealand in my twenties, I met so many people on my journey who knew Father Tom Keyes.
They would say “Are you Father Tom Keyes’s niece? And they would share wonderful stories about him or of him, of how he cared for or looked after some friend or relative of theirs.
I soon realised who my uncle Father Tom Keyes was, and still is in spirit, who has left us a legacy of
compassion and humanity for us all to follow.

And now I know, he's at peace. It was almost like we had to come, he asked us to come from the UK to see him to say Goodbye.
We knew it, and he knew it, and it was a wonderful goodbye,
So, God bless Tom, Father Tom Keyes, my uncle and my daughters Great Uncle,
and of course, all my sisters and brothers also hold him dear to their heart.

May he fly on the wings of peace to Heaven and be at rest, with his sister Elsa.
God Bless! From Philippa O’Connor Connor niece in the U.K.

RIP Fr Thom. An excellent distributor of Christian material and advice, including an image of "the laughing Jesus." May St Teresa welcome you home.

Rest In Peace Father Tom, I fist met you referring netball many many years ago.
Our paths continually crossed over the years , you were always a dedicated breath of fresh air. .

Father was an inspiration to the Catholic Youth at the time I was part of that in the 60's 70's. Father took our team to dance with the borstal boys and took his record player to play the music!! Imagine being able to do that today! He inspired so many of us and although I left the city in the late 70s I always followed his path!!! Rest in Peace Father Tom

You Father Keyes ,were a treasured guide and friend of our family , may you rest in peace , thank you .Cleghas family.