1SG Robert Eugene Connell, U.S. Army (Ret.)

COLUMBIA A funeral service for Robert Eugene Connell, 1st Sgt. U.S. Army (Ret.), 88, will be held at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, February 18, 2016, at Dunbar Funeral Home, Devine Street Chapel, with burial in Ft. Jackson National Cemetery with full military honors. The family will receive friends one prior to the service at the funeral home. Mr. Connell died Wednesday, February 10, 2016. Born in Boston, Mass., he was a son of the late William and Monica Connell. Mr. Connell retired as a 1st Sergeant in the U.S. Army and as a Columbia Police Department detective. He served in WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Mr. Connell enjoyed Irish music and boating, and was of the Catholic faith. Surviving are his wife, Maria Connell; granddaughter, Maria Hamlin (Jr.) of Hopkins; great-grandchildren, Kristina Hamlin (Brian Shealy) of West Columbia, Matthew Hamlin (Roni Caulder) of Columbia, Jennifer Hamlin of Sumter and Brittany Hamlin of Hopkins; great-great-granddaughter, Aaliyah Lassiter; and nephews, Patrick Connell and Peter Connell, both of Oxford, Maine. He was predeceased by his daughter, Gudrun Cook and brother, Billy Connell, Jr. Memorials may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or Wounded Warrior Project, 4899 Belfort Road, Suite 300, Jacksonville, FL 32256.