Barbara O’Connell (“Babs” or “Bobbie May”) was born in 1927 in Phoenix, Arizona. She was the second child in a family of five. Ed (Jr.) was the oldest followed by Barbara, Patrick, Joan, and Eileen. Her father, Edward H. O’Connell, was born in Phoenix in 1889. Barb’s mother, Eva Sylvia Evans was born in Palo Verde, Arizona in 1899. The O’Connells immigrated from Ireland to Boston and moved to Arizona in 1885. The Evans family, like the O’Connells, also originally came from Ireland migrating to Arizona in about 1885.
Both families were very much pioneers and entrepreneurs. This spirit defined Barbara and her siblings through their lives growing up and living in the Phoenix valley. Barb’s maternal grandfather, W.A. Evans, was a member of the Arizona Militia chasing cattle rustlers. Her uncle, John O’Connell, established the first auto body repair shop in Phoenix in the early 1920’s, named O’Connell Brothers.
Barbara attended St. Mary’s elementary school, Phoenix Union High School, NAU in Flagstaff and ASU in Tempe. She studied art and art history and became a wonderful artist in later years. World War II started while she was at school in Flagstaff so she transferred to ASU to be closer to home.
In 1947, James H. Hughes returned from military service in the Army and surprised Bobbie May with a marriage proposal that she could not turn down. Jim and Babs were married in Phoenix and together they had six children. The oldest child, Tim Hughes (spouse -- Cindy Branch) was born in 1949. Tim was followed by Deborah (spouse Leon Black); Christopher (spouse - Lysa Carr); Kathy (spouse – William Redinger); Jennifer (spouse – Christopher Sutton); and Kevin (spouse - Suzanne Wolff).
Babs was proud of her family history and made sure her six children, sixteen grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren were aware of their heritage through the telling of many family stories at dinners and reunions with her family in Phoenix and at family reunions with her cousins, the Evans, in Greer. Babs spent many weekends with her kids at Grandma and Grandpa O’Connell’s cabin at Mormon Lake and in the mountains in Pinetop and spent many memorable summers at the beach in San Diego.
Grandma Babs loved all of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and followed their progress closely. If you asked Barbara what kind of person she was and what was it that she cared about, she always said, “My family means everything to me.”
A celebration of life will be held on Friday, June 3, 2:00pm at Green Acres Mortuary, 401 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale, Arizona.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Barbara’s name to Hospice of the Valley at www.hov.org/donate.
Fond memories may be shared at www.greenacresmortuary.net
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