John J. O'Connell

LITTLE RIVER | John J. O'Connell, 81, of Little River, died Thursday, June 9, 2005 at his home after a very lengthy illness.



He was born on Feb. 8, 1924 in Philadelphia, Pa., the son of the late Michael and Anna Murphy O'Connell. He was predeceased by his sisters, Anna and Alice and his special aunt, Alice Ormsby.



John enlisted in the Army immediately following the attack on Pearl Harbor and served in the Pacific Theater of Operations until the end of WWII. He then attended the University of Miami on the GI Bill, where he played football for his beloved Hurricanes. When he returned to Philadelphia, he entered the insurance industry as a claims adjuster. When he retired, he was the New England Claims Manager for the Transamerica Insurance Group. He moved from West Hartford, Conn. to Calabash, N.C. (Carolina Shores) in 1984.



John worked for the original ''Million Dollar Hole in One'' for many years. He was a Charter Member and life member of V.F.W. Post #7288 of Calabash. He gathered much strength from his association with his church, St. Brendan the Navigator, and also belonged to the Knights of Columbus. He was an avid sports fan, loved playing and watching football, baseball and golf. He enjoyed dancing, the Beatles, and Elvis and meeting his friends at Pat and Mike's.



John is survived by his wife of 28 years, Joan, ''the wind beneath my wings,'' his son, Michael O'Connell and his wife, Susanne; son, Daniel O'Connell; granddaughter, Colleen and husband, Will Chapman; grandson, Sean M. O'Connell, his wife, Jennifer; and five great-granddaughters, all of the Philadelphia area.



He is also survived by his stepfamily; Charles B. Lichtenstein of Boulder, Colo., and his children, Emily and Miles; Thomas K. Lichtenstein and his wife, Sandra, of Alphretta, Ga., their children, Joey and Jeffrey; Mary L. Myers and her husband, Agnew, and their daughters, Mary Alexander and Madeline S. Myers of Trion, Ga.; and Martha L. Wurtz and her husband, Robert, and their children, Bobby and Meredith, of Lafayette Hill, Pa.; also, his brother and sister-in-law, John and Molly Simon of Wayne, Pa.



The family will always be indebted to so many for the exceptional care ''Mr. Jack'' received throughout this long journey to his final rest, the nurses at Grand Strand Regional Medical Center, the staff at Waccamaw Hospital Acute Rehab Unit, and our special ''family'' at Covenant Tower Health Care and the unbelievable caring and support of the Incare Hospice staff - God bless them. Our thanks to all.



A Mass will be celebrated at 9 a.m. on Monday, June 13, at St. Brendan the Navigator Church in Shallotte, N.C. to remember John and to give thanks to God for having had him in our lives.



An additional service will be held in Chestnut Hill, Pa. at Our Mother of Consulation Church for friends and family that did not travel to Little River.



Sign a guest book at MyrtleBeachOnline.com.



In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to InCare Hospice of North Myrtle Beach, 106 Hwy 17 S., Sundial Center, North Myrtle Beach, S.C. 29582.



Lee Funeral Home & Crematory of Little River/North Myrtle Beach is serving the family.