The world lost a good man on Feb. 24--Michael Anthony O'Connell. Mike was born on June 29, 1944. He was the loving husband of my cousin, Janine. I loved that he always called her Jeanie. He was the proud father of Tracy and and an absolutely devoted grandfather to Meagan and Sarah. And when I say devoted, I believe that Mike rewrote the definition for what a devoted grandfather means (as did Jean for a devoted grandmother.)
In our family, it is always a joke about who is "our favorite cousin." I must say that I think I can get away with saying that Mike was one of my favorite cousins because he was an "out"law cousin--married to my first cousin.
Did we ever have good times through the years! Mike never met a stranger. I remember when they would come to Douglas when we were down there in the summers. Mike would go out for coffee or a beer and get to know people. We would go someplace and hear "Hi, Mike!" And you have to know that both my mom and Aunt Teresa were prominent residents!!
I was very sad that I was not able to go to the funeral to support Jean and pay tribute to a wonderful guy.
Ted, Jean's brother did the main eulogy which I will put at the bottom of this. His two granddaughters also talked about what a great grandpa he was. I was able to watch the service and I have to say I cried through what the girls said.
Here are Ted's words spoken so eloquently and so sincerely:
"Michael Anthony O’Connell
1944-2022
There’s a new Saint in heaven and his name is Michael Anthony O’Connell.
I am happy to share his life's story…some of it true, some apocryphal, but all of it legendary as befitting Himself.
Michael was was born in San Francisco on June 29, 1944 to Elizabeth Tracy and Glen Solon. Betty and her sister had moved out to San Francisco during WW2 to work in the shipyards. There she married James O’Connell who adopted Mike. Later, Betty remarried a widower with a young son around Mike's age. His name was Ned Ongaro and his son was named Ned Jr, or Neddie. Ned was as Italian as Betty was Irish! Mike soon picked up the nickname, O’Connelli. Mike was raised in San Anselmo where he attended St Anselm’s Elementary and Marin Catholic H.S.
Mike was taught by the Holy Name Sister’s at St Anselm’s. The same sisters that taught the Park kids at St Ignatius in Sacramento. In fact one sister in particular, Sister Leo, taught Mike and later his brothers-in-law, Ted & Ed Park. Mike was on the receiving end of the Sister’s wrath when, in 7th or 8th grade, he ignited a firecracker in the auditorium at St Anselm’s. (Mike always had a fascination with pyrotechnics. As a kid, I remember him always having firecrackers around the house.) Some 10 years later, while he was dating Janine Park, Mike visited Sister Leo at St Ignatius in Sacramento where Ted and Ed Park were in 6th grade. Mike pulled up to the classroom in a green Pontiac Le Mans. We were all impressed!
Mike was a track star at Marin Catholic, running in the State Championships. He spent his freshman year in college at Oregon State University in Corvallis. He later transferred to San Francisco State College where he met the love of his life, Janine Park.
Janine came from a family of 6…Mike quickly became the 7th sibling and a brother to the rest.
Mike and Janine were married in January 1967 in said St Ignatius Church. Shortly thereafter he was drafted into the United States Army. After basic training in Ft Knox, Ky, and Advanced Infantry School in Anniston, Alabama, Mike was ordered to report to Ft Myer, Washington, D.C. Ft Myer is the U.S. Army post adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery. From Ft Myer, Mike was deployed to Heidelberg, Germany and the United States Seventh Army. Mike served as an Aide de Camp to the Commanding General, United States Army Europe.
But enough about Mike’s military career. The most important thing that happened during Mike and Janine’s tenure in Heidelberg was the birth of their daughter, Tracy Ann O’Connell in 1968. Mike and Janine returned to settle in San Jose, CA. Mike spent his career working as a Plant Manager in The Bay Area Printing Industry. They were active members of St Victor’s Parish and St Victor’s Elementary School. They served in many ministries at St Victor’s as Eucharistic Minister’s, Minister’s of the Word, and Religious Education. Mike served in both the Knights of Columbus and St Vincent de Paul Society.
Being from the Bay Area, Michael didn’t suffer the Sacramento heat vey well. One of my vivid memories of Mike is him sitting on an inner tube in the middle of Folsom Lake, hat on his head, shirt of his back and a 6-pack of Hamm's in his lap. He was The Floater.
There were no strangers in Michael’s life…just friends he hadn’t met yet. An avid golfer, it was easy for Mike to join a foursome for a round of golf. He was able to parlay his love of the game into a post-retirement gig at a local golf course. Free golf in exchange for marshaling services. After fifty years of golfing, he finally got his hole-in-one. Not bad for a septuagenarian duffer. His accomplishment made the newspaper.
Mike’s retirement years were filled with activities…golf, Knights of Columbus, St Vincent de Paul Society, shopping at Safeway, and attending the sporting events of his grandkids, Megan and Sarah. He never missed a Special Olympics competition of Sarah’s. He packed her school lunch everyday. Oh, and did I mention Scratchers? The California Lottery Commission has built whole schools from the sale of Scratchers to Mike O'Connell. When he was recovering from heart surgery in 2015, he received $50 worth of Scratchers while in the CCU. He went through them like Sherman's March to the sea, creating a pile of rubber filings in front of him. The Nurse came in and asked what the filings were…Mike, deadpanned, told her he thinks they have mice. Mike’s humor was dry and his wit sharp. Akin to his Milwaukee cousins.
Shortly thereafter, Michael was able to connect with family he had never met. He discovered a half brother and sister, Scott and Stephanie Solon, children of Glen Solon. I know that meant a lot to Mike. But Mike was not short on family. After marrying Janine, he was warmly adopted into the Park-Scott Family and never missed a Scott Family Reunion in Arizona. He as so loved by his many nieces and nephews. Nary a Christmas morning passed that Mike wasn’t assembling bikes or toys brought by Santa. He always had the right sized battery required to bring these toys to life.
But the highlight of his retirement would have to be his return to Heidelberg in 2017, nearly 50 years after his tour there. Janine, Tracy, Mike, and his brothers and sisters-in-law, traveled on a river cruise from Austria, through Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. The highlight of that trip was an excursion to Heidelberg I know it brought back great memories for Mike and Janine and created new ones for Tracy.
There’s a new Saint in Heaven: Michael Anthony O’Connell. A deserving reward for a life well lived and one so loved. Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and share your Master's joy. (Matthew 25:23)"
Those we love are never really gone, as long as their stories are told and there are MANY wonderful stories through the years! Mike's stories will live on through Jean, Tracy, Sarah and Meagan and all of his family.
We will miss you, Mike. Thanks for the memories.....................
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