William Keane | Financial planner, 43

William Keane, 43, formerly of Springfield, Delaware County, a financial planner, died of colon cancer Wednesday at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

Mr. Keane graduated from Cardinal O'Hara High School, and earned a bachelor's degree from Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science, now Philadelphia University. Mr. Keane, who was 6-foot-4 and weighed 245 pounds, played basketball on his high school and college teams. "He was a gentle giant," his sister Karen Smith said.

After completing college, Mr. Keane worked for Vanguard Group in Malvern. For more than five years, he was with Legg Mason in Baltimore. Since 2004, he had worked for financial management firms in New York City. His specialty was 401(k) retirement funds.

Mr. Keane "was the biggest Eagles fan," his sister said. Growing up, he spent summers in Ocean City, N.J., and in recent years kept a boat in Avalon, N.J. He had property in the Cayman Islands and loved traveling to new places and spending time with his fiancee, Nancy Beacham, a Norristown native.

Two years ago, friends in the Philadelphia area introduced the couple, who lived in adjacent towns in North Jersey - he in Weehawken, she in Hoboken.

In addition to his sister and fiancee, Mr. Keane is survived by a sister, Cindy Keepers; four nephews; and a niece. His parents, Thomas and Joan Keane, died in an auto accident in 2003.

A Funeral Mass will be said at 11:30 a.m. Monday at St. Dorothy's Church, Township Line and Burmont Road, Drexel Hill. Friends may call from 9:30 a.m.

Memorial donations may be made to the Colorectal Cancer Coalition, 1414 Prince St., Alexandria, Va. 22314.