Jennifer Gwen O'Connell

Jennifer Gwen O’Connell, 40, died, Monday evening, February 24, 2014. Born in Van Wert, Ohio, Jen attended Delton Kellogg Elementary and Middle School, in Delton, Michigan and graduated from Northrop High School in 1992. “She had a BIG heart for all the caring friends she loved in her too short life.” She is survived by her father, Mike (Nancy) O’Connell, of Wawaka, IN; mother Ann O’Connell; sister Marge (Cory) Strouse, both of Fort Wayne, IN; grandmothers, Wanda O’Connell, of Chicago, IL and Betty Pierce, of Prescott, AZ. Loving family includes; aunts, Marlee (Norm) Posto, of Lafayette, IN Janet (Ken) Mauge and Joan (Jim) Wiers, of Chicago, IL; uncles, Andy O’Connell, of Chicago, IL, Joe (Lisa) O’Connell, of Battle Creek, MI, and Tom (Lynn) Beard, of Mason, MI; step-brother, Mark (Angela) Kesterke, of Avilla, IN; step-sisters, Pauline (Kevin) Anderson, of Cromwell, IN and Jennifer (Jason) Hicks, of Grandhaven, MI., and three step-nephews; cousins, Tim Mort, of Jackson, WY, Jill & Eleanor O’Connell, of Chicago, IL, Nicholas O’Connell, of Luxembourg, Alex O’Connell, of Battle Creek, MI, Matt Beard, of Lansing, MI and Jeff & David Beard, of Los Angeles, CA.

Memorial service will be 11 AM Saturday March 1, at Hockemeyer & Miller Funeral Home, 6131 St. Joe Road, Fort Wayne, with calling one hour prior. Memorial donations may be given to Cancer Services of NE Indiana, Carriage House or Ft. Wayne Animal Care and Control.