Eva M. O’Connell, 93

Eva M. O’Connell, 93, of East Grand Forks, MN, passed away Friday, December 15, 2012, at Altru Hospital, Grand Forks, ND.

Eva Madeline Voeller was born May 3, 1919 the daughter of Valentine and Frances (Volk) Voeller in Pierce County, ND, near Silva, ND.  As a young woman she moved to Grand Forks and then to Seattle, WA, where she was employed by Boeing during the war.  She married Gerald F. O’Connell on October 17, 1943, in Everett, WA.  They returned to Grand Forks following his discharge from the service.

Eva enjoyed her job at Boeing, and was proud to be participating in the war effort. For many years she enjoyed being a homemaker and raising her children. Later, she returned to working and spent a number of years as a sales clerk at Mary Elizabeth Department Store, Grand Forks. Eva had a passion for gardening, and loved her flowers, plants and vegetables. She was a life time member of the Catholic Daughters of America.

Eva is survived by her husband, Gerald; daughters, Cheryl, Janice and Maureen; sons, Lawrence and Ronald; five grandchildren; 7 great grandchildren; brother; Marcus Voeller and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Rosalie Zeek, Clementine Dosch, Katherine Voeller, Ann Hoeppner; brothers, Walter, Joseph, Rochus “Roy”, Frank, Benhard, Sylvester, John, Lawrence and Edward.

The family would like to express their gratitude and thanks to the staff at Altru Hospital, to the exceptional assistant from Comfort Keepers, who helped make it possible for Eva to stay in her home, which was so important to her, and to the dedicated staff at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, who brought her Holy Communion every week.

Mass of Christian Burial: 11:00 a.m. Thursday, December 20, 2012 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, East Grand Forks, MN.

Visitation: 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday with a 4:30 p.m. rosary service and a 7:00 p.m. vigil service in the Historic Norman Funeral Home – Gregory J. Norman Funeral Chapel, Grand Forks. Visitation will continue for one hour prior to the liturgy in the church on Thursday.

Burial: Calvary Catholic Cemetery North, Grand Forks, ND in the spring.

The online memorial registry may be signed at www.normanfuneral.com

(Historic Norman Funeral Home, So. Washington St., Grand Forks, ND)