Obituary of Marilyn S. O'Connell

Marilyn S. O'Connell Loving Mother and Grandmother Marilyn S. O'Connell, 89, of Roseland, NJ, passed away on Tuesday, December 8, 2015 at Green Hill in West Orange, NJ. Marilyn was born in Gettysburg, PA to her parents, Rev. Dr. George and Ruth Sheffer. She was raised in New Oxford, PA and graduated from Gettysburg College, PA, where she met and later married her husband, the late Robert D. O'Connell. After graduating from Gettysburg College she and Bob moved to New York City and then to Roseland, New Jersey where they raised their three children, Douglas, Richard, and Nancy. Marilyn returned to school to obtain a graduate degree from Montclair State Teachers College where she earned a Masters in Education. Marilyn was an English Teacher at Madison High School for many years, retiring in 1980. Besides spending time with her family and friends, Marilyn loved singing in the Chancel Choir at the First Presbyterian Church at Caldwell where she was a member for 45 years. She was also an animal lover and for years she volunteered at a local shelter. She also fostered several refugee children from Vietnam. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Robert. Surviving are her devoted children and their spouses, Doug and Lynne O'Connell, Richard and Klari O'Connell and Nancy and Ed McCarthy; loving grandchildren, Michelle, Robert, Alyson, Melissa, Annie, and Greg. Relatives and friends are invited to visit at the Codey & Jones Funeral Home, 54 Roseland Avenue, Caldwell, NJ 07006 on Thursday, December 10th from 5 – 8 pm. A Service of Resurrection will be held in the First Presbyterian Church at Caldwell, 326 Bloomfield Avenue, Caldwell on Friday, December 11th at 11:00am. The interment will follow at Restland Memorial Park in East Hanover, NJ. To extend condolences or share a memory, please visit www.codeyjonesfh.com. In lieu of flowers, donations to the First Presbyterian Church at Caldwell Music Program (www.firstprescaldwell.org)or to Mt. Pleasant Animal Shelter, East Hanover, NJ (www.njshelter.org) would be appreciated.