In Memoriam: Cecelia Marie O’Connell, 1927-2017

Peggy McConnell, a long-time member of the faculty at St. Catherine University in St. Paul, Minnesota, died on November 7 at Carondelet Village in St. Paul. She was 89 years old.

A native of Redwood Falls, Minnesota, O’Connell graduated from what is now St. Catherine University in 1949 and then joined the Sisters of St. Joseph. She taught at two Catholic school in the Twin Cities area before being sent on a mission to Hawaii. While there, she earned a master’s degree in education and creative drama at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

Upon her return to the mainland, O’Connell became the St. Paul Province supervisor for elementary schools. She joined the faculty at St. Catherine University in 1967 and taught there until 1998.