EDNA L. O’DONNELL

Edna L. "Eddie" O'Donnell, died Monday, Sept. 1, 2008.
Born March 16, 1920, in St. Louis, Mo., her parents were Patrick M. and Margaret (Sunley) O'Dowd. She received her registered-nursing degree from DePaul Hospital in St. Louis, and, after her marriage to Lawrence H. O'Donnell, lived in various parts of the country, including Louisville, San Diego, Oklahoma City and Washington, D.C. She tended to the home fires during the Second World War and the Korean conflict.
They moved to Chester County, Pa., in the 1950s and lived principally in Kennett Square. While there, Mrs. O'Donnell served as school nurse in a number of the schools, ending her nursing career as the school nurse for Kennett Senior High. During that time Mrs. O'Donnell attended and graduated from West Chester University with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1973.
After her husband, Lawrence, retired from DuPont for health reasons, the couple moved to Florida and resided first in Osprey and then in Venice, until recently moving back to Chester County. They also spent the past 20 years living in their self-built cottage in Grand Cayman during the winter months.
She is survived by her husband, Lawrence, who resides at Barclay Friends in West Chester; four children and their spouses, Lawrence and Susan O'Donnell of Chester Springs, Pa., Patrick O'Donnell and Hannah Gardner of West Chester, Pa., Katie and Rob Mehne of Sycamore, Ill., and Marnie and Ed Graybill of Lusaka, Zambia; and by 11 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Interment will be private and an Irish wake will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in memory of Mrs. O'Donnell to the Chester County Hospital Foundation, marked for the advancement of nurses, at 710 E. Marshall St., West Chester, PA 19380.