Maurice J. O’Connell, 95, of Damariscotta, died peacefully the morning of Jan. 18 at Miles Memorial Hospital in Damariscotta on the 14th anniversary of the death of Marian Grab O’Connell, his devoted wife of 59 years.
Named after his father, Maurice was born on June 19, 1915 in New York City. ‘Marcy’ spent part of his childhood, ages 5 to 11, in Ireland after his mother, Mary Clifford, died during the 1919 influenza epidemic. Returning to New York City, he graduated from Xavier High School in 1932. He met and married Marian Grab (Thornhurst, Penn.) in 1938 and together they resided in New York City until the mid 1970s. Since then, Maurice lived in Belleview, N.J., Thornhurst, Penn., Solomons Island, Md., Leesburg, Va. and Newcastle (at Lincoln Home, 8+ years) and Damariscotta, where he was last a resident of Cove’s Edge LTC.
Maurice worked on the New York piers before retiring to Thornhurst, Penn. in 1977, and, at the time of his death, was the most senior member of the International Longshoreman’s Association. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus Councils in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Maine. During retirement, he was a member of the Thornhurst volunteer Fire Department and served as a Eucharistic Minister at St. Mark’s Catholic Church. Locally, he was a member of St. Patrick’s congregation here.
He was predeceased by Marian and brother, James.
He is survived by sons, M. John O’Connell and wife Sandra of Boothbay Harbor and Joseph G. O’Connell of Thornhurst, Penn.; daughter, Clare O’Connell of Hopewell Junction, N.Y.; grandsons, Douglas O’Connell and wife Fabiana of Nokomis, Fla., Maurice O’Connell VIII and wife Alice of Seminole, Fla., Christopher O’Connell of Durham, N.C. and Kevin Kozikowski and wife Erin of Leesburg, Va.; granddaughters, Kristin O’Connell Epley of Denver, Col., Alana Johnson and husband Trent of Newport, N.C, Jaime O’Connell Hilty of Edgewater, Md., Kimberly Davis and husband Gary of Newport, N.C. and Kathleena O’Connell of Winston-Salem, N.C.; great-grandchildren: Ryan and Rebecca O’Connell, Andre Johnson, Madison and Sophia Davis, Michael Kozikowski and Jordan O’Connell Hilty; his wife’s siblings – sisters, Jean Fenton of Virginia Beach, Va., Bernice Randall of Gouldsboro, Penn., Eleanor Fakoury of Fairfax, Va. and brother Joseph Grab of Thornhurst, Penn.; six brothers- and sisters-in-law, including his brother’s widow, Jeanette O’Connell of Glenville, N.Y.; 50 nieces and nephews; and many, many grandnieces and grandnephews.
The family plans to honor and celebrate Maurice’s life Fri., July 29 as part of their 48th annual reunion in Thornhurst, Penn., with a memorial service there at St. Mark’s Church, to be followed by a reception at the Thornhurst Fire Department Hall.
Your thoughts and prayers are most appreciated, but, in lieu of flowers, donations may be are made in his name to the Lincoln Home, 22 River Rd., Newcastle, ME 04553.
You are invited to share your condolences, photos and tributes with the O’Connell family by visiting their Book of Memories at www.hallfuneralhomes.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to Simmons, Harrington & Hall Funeral Home, 975 Wiscasset Rd., Boothbay.
