Mary Lou (McFall) O'Connell

Mary Lou died on December 20th at the Orlando Regional Health Center at the age of 83.

 

Mary Lou was born to William and Ethel McFall on Feb 28th 1934 in Rochester N.Y.

She graduated from Nazareth High School in 1951 and attended Nazareth College,

receiving her BS degree, with a major in Speech Therapy, in 1955. She obtained her

Masters in Speech Pathology in 1959, from Geneseo N.Y. State Teachers College.

 

Mary Lou was employed by the Board of Cooperative Educational Services located in

Fairport NY. She dedicated herself to helping children in the East Irondequoit School

District who had speech and language problems. After 36 years, she retired in 1991.

 

She married Bill (Wilmer) O'Connell on November 23, 1957 and they celebrated their

60th anniversary last month. Mary Lou is survived by several nieces and nephews.

 

Since 2001, Mary Lou has been a six month resident of the Sea Woods community of New Smyrna Beach Fl.  She has been instrumental in helping to establish the ladies S.W.A.G. association (Sea Woods Women Aging Gracefully) for several years; she has conducted floor exercise programs and with her friend Inez, instituted the Yoga program. Since 1972, she and her husband have spent their summers in the Adirondack Park, at their home on Big Moose Lake. Learning to play golf, she became part of the ladies nine-hole league at the Thendara Golf Club and she and her friend Joan, find time to manage pairings, tournaments and social gatherings throughout the summer. Each morning Mary Lou would get up early and pray for her friends, her former classmates, her husband and relatives. Making friends and loving and caring for them was a major goal.

 

A memorial mass will be held on Monday Jan 8th  at 12 noon at Our Lady Star of the Sea

Catholic Church at 4000 S. Atlantic Ave. New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169. A reception will

be held in the Parish Hall following the service.

 

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Hubbard House, 29 West Miller Street, Orlando, FL 32807.