Jeremiah Joseph O'Keefe III (July 12, 1923 – August 23, 2016) was an American fighter ace, Democratic Party politician, insurance executive, and funeral director.

O'Keefe was a major donor to and chief fundraiser for the Ohr-O'Keefe Museum Of Art, named after his wife Annette, and many other civic, cultural and charitable organizations.

He gained recognition for his contributions to a dogfight in Okinawa on April 22, 1945, in which he shot down five Japanese Kamikazes, becoming an ace in a single day.

)[6] On April 28, Lt. O'Keefe shot down another two enemy planes bringing his total victories to seven which made him the highest scoring ace in Okinawa at the time.

Fighting his plane aggressively in two engagements against a total of more than fifty Japanese suicide dive bombers, First Lieutenant O'Keefe pressed home a series of bold attacks in the face of hostile fire to destroy five of the enemy aircraft.

By his resolute courage, skillful airmanship and devotion to duty, he aided materially in preventing the numerically superior force from reaching its objective, and his gallant conduct throughout reflects the highest credit upon First Lieutenant O'Keefe and the United States Naval Service.

[9]In connection with celebration of his 90th birthday on July 12, 2013, a bronze bust depicting him in his gear as a young aviator was installed in the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, honoring him as an ace and member of the Death Rattlers.

[10] Presentation of the medal coincided with the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the O'Keefe family's funeral business on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

He served as the Chairman of the 'Temperance Committee', fighting for liquor legalization, on a local-option basis, in Mississippi, the last remaining 'dry' state in the nation.

[19] During his tenure as mayor, O'Keefe stood up to the Ku Klux Klan refusing them a permit to hold a discriminatory parade in Biloxi, Mississippi.

[20] Jerry O’Keefe and his wife Annette were longstanding participants in Gulf Coast civic and philanthropic activities.

[13] He served as chair of many fundraising efforts by the local Catholic Church and co-chair of the campaign to build the Walter Anderson Museum of Art in Ocean Springs, MS.[19] With proceeds from settlement of the Loewen litigation, he and Annette founded and endowed the O’Keefe Foundation to support local organizations and various charitable purposes.