Olive O'Keeffe

Olive O'Keeffe (14 May 1907 – 16 November 1988) was a nurse who spent much of her life in the Northern Territory of Australia.

She had close associations with Clyde Fenton with whom she worked with in Katherine and she also worked at The Bungalow and the Alice Springs Public Hospital in Central Australia for many years. Her former home in Katherine is heritage protected and known as the "O'Keeffe Residence". The pair married in September of 1938 and the reception was held at Clyde Fenton's house. This ward cared for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients, mostly those from Central Australia, and could house up to 70 patients. O'Keeffe ran it for many years in, in doing so, earnt great respect from many of her patients.

In the 1962 O'Keeffe and John decided to return to Katherine and retire and there they purchased a home which is now known as 'The O'Keeffe Residence' which is now a National Trust property which operates as a museum. O'Keeffe was soon encouraged to be back at work to help address nursing staff shortages in the small town and worked again at Katherine Hospital until 1976 when she left to care for her husband who was unwell. When he recovered she returned to work for a short time, again encouraged by staff shortage, but soon had to leave when the authorities discovered her age.

She died on 16 November 1988 in Katherine.

Awards and honours O'Keeffe received a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1965 for her contribution to nursing, particularly in relation to her care of Aboriginal people with tuberculosis in Alice Springs.