Patrick Joseph O’Connell

Patrick Joseph O'Connell died peacefully in the arms of his wife and surrounded by his loving family on February 16, 2022 in their home in Stoughton, MA, after a courageous battle with cancer.

Patrick was born on May 5, 1955 in Columbus Ohio. Patrick graduated from Boston College with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science and went on to receive a Master's Degree in Linguistics in 2014.

Patrick was curious by nature. As a young man Patrick sought adventure. It began when he toured the United States on a motorcycle when he was only sixteen. Later this same passion led him into the mountains of the Andes, where he lived and worked among indigenous people in Ecuador. At the age of nineteen, Patrick travelled from Canada to England. From England he traveled to the Eastern Europe, onto the Middle East, ending in India and then Nepal. His love of travel and his curiosity of other cultures never ceased.

Later in life Patrick brought his passion into teaching. As an ESL teacher at Brockton High School his compassion and dedication to his teaching extended beyond the school day. His commitment to his students was unchanging and inspirational.

But Patrick was at heart a family man. He adored his mother, his brother and sisters, stepdaughter, his nieces and nephews, and cousins. Sunday family dinners he spent most of the time chasing and playing with the little ones. But it was late in life that Patrick found and married the love of his life, Clotilde Melo-O'Connell, whom he found his home and his heart.

Sadly, our Sunday dinners, without the presence of the Great Debater, will be duller, shorter, and lamer. We will miss you Patrick.

In lieu of flowers the family has requested that the donations be made to the support the ESL department at Brockton High School. Donations can be made to Brockton Education Foundation.Please send checks to Kellie Jones, Director of Bilingual Education, 43 Crescent Street, Brockton, MA 02302.

Funeral Services are private.