1913-1997
Mary McKeon was the first woman president of the NJ Associations of Life Underwriters and the Newark-NJ Association of Life Underwriters. She was the first woman to be a division manager in Prudential Life insurance sales in 1952. She worked in Newark and Montclair. She said, “I was scared to death when I joined the Prudential sales staff in 1947…I thought I’d never make my quota” and said it was the most “exciting and satisfying field in the world.”
After working for Prudential, she became a realtor in 1966 and went on to an accomplished career in that field in the Arlington-Kearny area.
Mary was a life member of the Women Leaders Roundtable of Newark and a member of many other insurance and real estate organizations. She was first President of the Catholic Womens College Club and a member of the National Council of Catholic Women. She received numerous awards for her work including the Prudential Presidential Citation in 1961.
Mary was born in Harrison and attended the College of St. Elizabeth.
Bibliography
Star Ledger obit Dec 7, 1997
“Arlington Brunette Sets Insurance Records at Pru” Star Ledger May 12, 1952
“It takes quite a gal to be an insurance man” Star Ledger Dec 13, 1966
“She Breaks Precedent” Newark News May 20, 1955
M-09, McKeon, Mary, Newark News Morgue, Newark Public Library
“Celebration” Newark News Nov 18, 1955