Bettie Jane O'Connell of Dallas/Garland, Texas, passed peacefully at 97 years of age, September 22, 2018, at Presbyterian Hospital surrounded by her devoted children. Born June 8, 1921 in Dayton, Ohio, she spent her high school years in Greenville, Ohio, graduating from Greenville High School and then in 1939 from Dayton Miami Nursing School where she trained as a surgical nurse. She was a good student, loved horses and played tennis. She joined the Army as WWII was beginning and was sent to England as a field nurse training other nurses. She met Captain Douglas B. O'Connell from NYC who was a hospital administrator in France. They were married in 1943 in Ireland. They raised five children as a Foreign Service family in Hong Kong, the Philippines, France, Germany, Spain and Washington, D.C., and Mexico. She successfully navigated local languages and cultures. She played bridge and loved to bowl. Bettie was known for her beautiful smile and big blue eyes, her positive outlook and patience, adaptability, efficiency, and independence, and steadfast devotion to her husband and family. To Doug, who died February 14, 1981, she was his angel. Bettie is survived by her children Kathleen Knuettel, Jane and Bill Seward, Brendan and Idolina O'Connell, Robert and Cindy O'Connell, and Alice and Richard Johnson, and their families; 8 grandchildren- Tara, Dana, Kevin, Doug, Jenny, Kaitlin, Monica and Jaimie, and 5 great grandchildren. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Monica Catholic Church on Wednesday September 26, at 10:00 AM for family and friends. Visitation and Rosary at Calvary Hill Funeral Home will be Tuesday, September 25 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM. Donations to the Alzheimer's Association is requested in lieu of flowers.
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