Dennis L. O'Connell Sr.

Dennis L. O'Connell Sr., 58, died Wednesday, July 23, 2008, at Elliot Hospital in Manchester, NH, of complications from a short illness. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Linda A. (Angell) O'Connell of Oxford, who recently moved to Gardner; two children, Dennis L. O'Connell Jr. of Gardner, and Barbara J. Malkowski and her husband Mark of Hubbardston; a brother, Kenneth R. O'Connell of Auburn; two grandchildren, Kayla Malkowski and Ryan Malkowski, both of Hubbardston; and a large extended family including nephews, nieces, great nephews, great nieces, sisters- and brothers-in-law. He was born in Worcester, the son of the late Robert W. and Theresa E. (Florence) O'Connell, and was a lifelong resident of Oxford.

Mr. O'Connell owned and operated O'Connell and Sons Construction Co. in Oxford for 18 years, retiring in 2004. Previously he worked at Wyman-Gordon Corporation in North Grafton. Mr. O'Connell was a former part-time police office for the Oxford Police Department and was a former E.M.T. for Oxford Fire-EMS. He was a member of St. Roch's Church in Oxford. He loved vacations, traveling, yard sales, and flea markets. Most of all, he enjoyed being with his grandchildren and attending their sporting events.

A funeral will be held on Saturday, July 26, 2008, from Paradis Funeral Home, 357 Main St., Oxford, followed by a Mass at 10 a.m. at St. Roch's Church, 332 Main St., Oxford. Calling hours are Friday, July 25, 2008, from 5-9 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be at a later date at St. Roch's Cemetery, Oxford. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, Boston MA-NH Office, 330 Congress Street, 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02210, or to the American Lung Association of Massachusetts, 460 Totten Pond Road, Suite 400, Waltham, MA 02451-1942.

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