William H. "Bill" O'Connell Jr.

O'CONNELL, Jr., William H. "Bill"
Age 84, passed away peacefully on Monday, August 17, 2020. He was the beloved husband of Cynthia A. (Mancini) O'Connell for 33 years. Born in Winthrop, Massachusetts, he was the son of the late William H. O'Connell, Sr. and Margaret (O'Hara) O'Connell. Bill grew up in Revere, MA, and went to Revere High School.
Bill graduated from Bates College in Lewiston, ME in 1958. While at Bates, he excelled in academics and athletics and was an active member of the Bates community. He was a talented football player and worked on the school newspaper and radio station. Following graduation, Bill served his country honorably as a member of the United States Marine Corps.
Bill achieved great success in his professional career. He was elected president of Providence Washington Insurance Company at age 37, and later became Chairman of the Board for NN Corporation. After leaving NN, Bill founded and built two successful companies: Financial Insurance Services and OM Financial Group. Bill finished his professional career with OM Financial in 2018.
When he wasn't working, Bill loved spending time with his family, particularly on Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire. He was also an avid sports fan who held season tickets for the New England Patriots since the team moved to Foxborough, MA in 1971.
Bill was extremely generous and always eager to reach out and support others, whether they were a family member, friend, or someone he just met who he thought could use his help. He was also a tremendous mentor for many young professionals and enjoyed helping others learn and succeed.
In addition to his wife, Cindy, Bill is survived by four children, William H. O'Connell, III (wife, Sharon), Kelly A. O'Connell (husband, Michael), Darci M. Detorie (husband, Frank), and Christopher R. Colapietro (wife, Jennifer); nine grandchildren, Sarah, Andrew, Jake, Madeline, Max, Tyler, Erin, Samantha, and Julia; and a sister Margaret "Peggy" Coates. Bill also leaves behind many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his two sisters, Maureen Scanlon and Patricia Anderson.
A visitation will be held from 4-7 pm on Monday, August 24, 2020 in the Fagan-Quinn Funeral Home, 825 Boston Neck Road, North Kingstown.
Relatives and friends are invited to his Mass of Christian Burial at 10 am on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 in St. Thomas More Church, 53 Rockland Street, Narragansett. A private burial for the immediate family will be held after the mass. A live streaming of the mass may be found at https://livestream.com/stm
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 417005 Boston, MA 02241 or American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 15829 Arlington, VA 22215, will be appreciated.
Please visit www.FaganQuinnFuneralHome.com for information and online condolences.