College graduate and financial supporter Harry Keefe, Jr. '43, died of accidental injuries at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. on Friday, March 8. According to Keefe's wife, Anita, the cause of death was a head injury sustained after a fall in Florida. He was 79 years old.

College officials said that they are saddened by the loss of Keefe, who was one of the College's major benefactors. "The College has certainly been involved [in Keefe's memorials]," said Director of Public Relations Paul Statt.

President Tom Gerety delivered a eulogy at a memorial service for Keefe last Monday at St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City.

"[Keefe] had a fierce dignity that was rare," said Gerety in his eulogy. "He made you feel it and he made you share it. And he made us all a little better by it."

Keefe majored in psychology and economics. He served in the Navy for three years during World War II and served as a commanding officer during the invasion of Normandy.

After the war's end, Keefe received an M.B.A. from Boston University before entering the financial industry. He later was made a partner in major investment firms before starting his own Wall Street investment firm, Keefe, Bruyette and Woods, Inc. (KBW) in 1962. In 1989 he retired from KBW and opened his own financial management firm, Keefe Managers, Inc.

"That fierceness in Harry brought him to us-through it all, through Roslindale to Normandy, to Wall Street," said Gerety.

Keefe used the money he made in investing to give back to his alma matter. The College's campus center and health center are named for him, as is the science library in the Merrill Science Center. In addition, Keefe endowed the Harry V. Keefe, Jr. Scholarship Fund for graduates from Boston Latin School-Keefe's high school-who plan on attending the College.

"Harry loved Amherst College," said Director of Leadership Gifts John Pistel '69. "He was a remarkable man who was very generous to many people."

In addition to his alma maters, Keefe also cared deeply about his employees. He was "personally devastated" after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. The attacks destroyed KBW's New York offices, housed in the World Trade Center, killing 67 KBW employees.

"I made the invasion of Omaha Beach on D-Day," Keefe said after the terrorist attacks. "My ship got sunk by German fire, but I didn't lose a man. And here I sit comfortably in New York City. And suddenly 67 people I know are dead."

Keefe is survived by his wife Anita, a son, Harry V. Keefe III, two stepsons, Geoffrey de Lesseps and Thomas Vederber and many grandchildren.