Muriel O’Connell

Muriel O’Connell, 89, of Heritage Village, Southbury, and formerly of Newtown, died November 11, in Danbury Hospital.  She was the widow of James F. O’Connell. She was born March 20, 1923, in Bronx, N.Y., daughter of Barbara (Kuester) and Harry G. Mason.

Mrs O’Connell earned her bachelor’s degree from Hunter College in New York City and her master of science degree from Western Connecticut State College in 1971.

She was a past president of  the Newtown Business & Professional Women’s Club. She owned Elliott Real Estate in Sandy Hook for many years, prior to becoming a home economics teacher at Newtown Middle School, for 11 years. She received the Youth Action Award from then-Governor Ella Grasso for creation of a volunteer community service program for students at Newtown Middle School to work with the elderly at nursing homes and children at the elementary schools. After her retirement she worked with her daughter at Comforts of Home, from 1997 to 2005.

She will be sadly missed by her devoted family, whom she dearly loved and was so proud of.

She leaves six children, Judith A. Beers of Sandy Hook, Jeffrey W. Elliott of Ocoee, Fla., Susan L. Elliott of Litchfield, Diane E. Dyer of Bedford, N.Y., David G. Elliott of Southbury, and Wendy Lee Brazauskas of Woodbury; 12 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and one sister, Catherine Olsworth  of Princeton, N.J.

A memorial service took place November 13. 

Memorial contributions may be made to Southbury Food Bank, PO Box 68, Southbury CT 06488, or Southbury Fuel Bank, 561 Main Street South, Southbury CT  06488,  Southbury Needy Fund, PO Box 72, Southbury CT  06488, or Heritage Village Ambulance Association, PO Box 2045, Southbury CT  06488.

Arrangements were by Carpino Funeral Home, Southbury.

The Newtown Bee        November 16, 2012