Born July 29, 1942 in Anaconda, MT, by the age of 5, Marijeanne knew she wanted to be a nurse and never waivered from her path. In 1963, she graduated from Carroll College’s nursing program. After a year working nights in Helena and then a three-month stint in San Francisco, Marijeanne returned to Montana and married Mike Connolly in 1965 and had three children over the next 10 years. She and her family made many moves across the country and she worked in various hospitals ultimately settling in San Jose, CA in 1987. She particularly enjoyed OB, OR and med /surg. In 2002 she officially retired from nursing but returned to Montana to take care of her mother and later her father.
She spent 13 years in Missoula before pursuing her dream of living in Sun City Grand in Surprise, AZ, in 2015. She was active in the community and made many friends. A passionate animal lover, in addition to adoring her two golden retrievers Morgan and River, she enjoyed watching deer and other wildlife in MT and a variety of birds in AZ. Nursing remained in her heart, and she continued to organize many nursing class reunions over the years. Throughout her illness she remained a devout Catholic which helped sustain her through her diagnosis and illness. She will be remembered for her generous spirit, smile and happy demeanor.
She is predeceased by her parents Margaret (Boyer) and William Froehlich, her sisters Patricia Hanson and Barbara Sheline and her former husband Michael Connolly. She leaves behind her children, Tom, Kathleen and Julie along with her brother in law, Earl Hanson, her niece Tricia Wagner and her husband Matt, nephew Kyle Hanson and his wife Ali. She was a devoted great-aunt to her grand-nephews and nieces, Preston and Lucy Wagner and Anders and Elle Hanson.
A formal mass will be held at St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Missoula, MT at 10:30 AM on Friday, May 18, 2018.
Gifts in memory of Marijeanne can be made to Mayo Clinic in support of Mayo Clinic Hospital in Arizona or to the Arizona Humane Society.
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