Boston’s “Eye in the Sky” pioneering traffic reporter
Published in the April 20, 2017 edition
PARKLAND, Fla. – Arthur F. McTague, 88, of Parkland Florida and formally of North Reading for 25 years, passed away peacefully on March 12.
Arthur, known by all as Art, is survived by Dorie, his wife of 65 beautiful years, and five children: Robert McTague and his wife Benita, of Fort Lauderdale, FL; Elaine Stedman, and her husband Craig, of Nashua, NH; Kathy Lavina and her husband Richard, of Puerto Rico, Brian McTague, and his wife LeAnne, of North Reading, MA; and Susan Arsenault, and her husband Dana, of Londonderry, NH; eleven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren, along with many nieces and nephews, which he adored. Art is preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Gertrude McTague and his brother, Paul McTague.
Born in Melrose, on June 30, 1928, he spent his early years in Wakefield, and had a passion for flying planes as a young boy. Being a proud member of the U.S. Marines, he served in World War II. As a young man, and filling in as an announcer at a football game, he was discovered to have a natural talent. From 1958 to 1960, he was a rock and roll disc jockey known as Dan Donovan at WMEX in Boston; often hosting record hops. Having a passion for flying, he began a long and successful career in Boston as a radio broadcaster. Piloting both fixed wing planes and helicopters over the skies of Boston, Kevin O’Keefe was born. Art, aka Kevin O’Keefe, had the distinction of being the first “Eye in the Sky” as he piloted helicopters while reporting traffic over the Boston area for 30 years; the longest flying traffic reporter in the country. During his career, he was best known for coining the phrases “Gawker Blocker”, “Stall and Crawl”, “Cram and Jam” and “Snail Trail”. As a radio personality, he made appearances with his helicopter at schools and other charitable venues.
After his retirement in 1992, the Governor of Massachusetts declared June 25th as “Kevin O’Keefe Day”. Upon retirement, he moved to Florida with his wife where they enjoyed golf, family and friends. He was an avid golfer, proud of his Hole in One in 1998.
Art loved to be around people and would talk to everyone and will be deeply missed by all.
A celebration of life was held on March 24th and internment is at South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth, Florida.
