Jean Connelly

Jean (Dieser) Connelly
of Greenwood, SC
Jean Florence (Dieser) Connelly, Greenwood, SC. January 17, 1932 - February 24, 2009. Jean passed into the hands of God following open heart surgery. Her daughter, Diane and son, Gary were by her side. A native of Maple Shade, NJ, Jean lived a full life of 77 years as a loving wife and mother. Following graduation from Moorestown High School, Jean entered the professional work force, commuting across the Delaware River to Philadelphia, working in various office positions. Following the birth of her first son, Kevin, she began a loving career as a stay at home mom, which included a move from Pitman, NJ to Endwell, NY; she was always there for her kids when they got home from school, stayed home sick, or needed some extra attention. After many years she returned to the work force first at Columbia Life and then at Singer Link in Kirkwood, NY. Jean was predeceased in December 2007 by her husband, Paul Connelly. Their 26 years together were marked by enjoying many activities including camping, square dancing, fishing the waters of upstate NY and Florida, enjoying annual reunions with his WWII squadron mates and visiting family and friends from their home in Ellenton, FL. Jean and Paul moved to Greenwood, SC in November 2007 where Jean became very involved at the Immanuel Lutheran Church working in the Sunday soup kitchen, the quilting club and recently as a new member of the church council as well as volunteering at the Greenwood food pantry. Jean is survived and will be missed by her three children and five stepchildren and their spouses: daughter, Diane and Lee Funderburk, Greenwood, SC; son, Kevin Bracken, Greenwood, SC; and son, Gary and Jeanne Bracken, Spencerport, NY; stepson, Michael and Peg Connelly, Ormond Beach, FL; stepson, Christopher Connelly, Windsor, NY; stepdaughter, Veronica and Robert Hogan, McDonough, GA; stepdaughter, Pamela Connelly, Johnson City, NY; and stepdaughter, Marian Connelly, Endicott, NY. She is also survived by 17 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
There will be a brief celebration of life service at the South Carolina State Veterans Cemetery in Anderson, SC on March 19, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Immanuel Lutheran Church Sunday Soup Kitchen, 501 Creswell Avenue East, Greenwood, SC 29646 in memory of Jean Connelly. God Bless America and women like Jean Connelly who helped raise a generation.