Edward Vincent O'Connell

Edward Vincent O’Connell of Brewster, MA, formerly of Wellesley, MA, passed away on September 25 with his beloved wife of sixty-five years, Josephine (Buonopane) O’Connell and their children by his side.

In addition to his wife, Ed is survived by his children Joanne (Michael) Richard of Sudbury, MA, Jim (Nancy) O’Connell of Wellfleet, MA, Jean Reeves of Florence, SC and Janice Marinello of Sherborn, MA. He was the cherished grandfather of Scott, Sarah, Faith and Andrew Richard, Chloe O’Connell, Amanda Gordon, Christina and Jake Reeves, Anthony and Michael Marinello, and great-grandfather of Skylar, Lana and Julian Richard and Henry and Lucy Gordon, the youngest of whom he met for the first time at his family reunion this past August.

Ed was predeceased by his parents and six siblings, Buddy, Fran, Agnes, Ruth, Mable and Mary, his beloved grandson Steven Richard, and sons-in-law Tony Marinello and Carl Reeves.

Ed was born on May 1, 1931 in Somerville, MA to Edward and Ruth O’Connell. In 1949, he graduated from Somerville High School, where he met Josephine. They were married in 1953. Ed proudly served in the United States Army during the Korean War as a microwave radio specialist with the Allied Radio Systems in Western Europe from 1953-1955. Upon discharge, he began a thirty-five-year career with Bell Systems which later became New England Telephone, AT&T and then Bell Laboratories. Ed highly valued education. While working full-time, he attended night school at Northeastern University for nine years through the GI Bill, earning a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering in 1966. He retired from Bell Laboratories as the New England Division Engineer Manager in 1989.

After enjoying many Cape Cod summers on Sheep Pond with their children, Ed and Josephine moved year round to Brewster, MA in 1990. Ed was a parishioner of Our Lady of the Cape where he served as Cantor, member of the chorus, Men’s Club, a volunteer with the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Bingo co-chair. As a bingo caller, he had an impressive following on the lower Cape. Ed was blessed with a beautiful tenor voice and his rendition of O Holy Night at Christmas Eve mass was simply not-to-be- missed. He also enjoyed singing with The Mid Cape Chorus and The Victrola Society of Cape Cod.

Ed pursued many interests on the Cape. He was an accomplished Master Gardener, growing the best tomatoes and swiss chard on the Cape. He was a member of the Cape Cod Salties Sportfishing Club, the Cape Cod Astronomical Society and The Captains Golf Course. Along with Josephine, he was a volunteer Lighthouse Keeper and served on the Board of Directors of the Cape Cod Chapter of the American Lighthouse Foundation at Provincetown’s Race Point Lighthouse where he loved spending time with his family.

Ed considered his family to be his greatest accomplishment and nothing was more important to him. He delighted in the successes of his children and grandchildren and thoroughly enjoyed getting to know his great grandchildren.

Family and friends may call at the Doane Beal & Ames Funeral Home, 729 Rt 134 South Dennis, MA on Friday, September 28 from 4:00-7:00 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, September 29 at Our Lady of the Cape, 468 Stony Brook Road Brewster, MA at noon.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in Ed’s memory be made to Our Lady of the Cape, St. Vincent De Paul Society, 468 Stony Brook Road Brewster, MA 02631 or The American Heart Association, 300 5th Avenue, Suite 6 Waltham, MA 02451.