Jean A Connell

Jean A. Connell, 93, a former resident of Fergus Falls, died Sunday, August 9, 2020 at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, ND.

Jean, the only child of Ted and Edith (Rabehl) Neuman was born June 8, 1927, in Fergus Falls, Minnesota at Wright’s Memorial Hospital. She grew up in Fergus Falls, attended school there, and graduated from Fergus Falls High School in 1945.

Jean met her husband, Pat Connell, in Fergus Falls and they were married there on June 12, 1946. They lived, worked, and raised their daughters, Patricia and Pamela, in Fergus Falls. Through the years they lived in a number of homes in Fergus, doing much of the work themselves on a lake home on Wall Lake and a house on what became Connell Drive. They remained in Fergus until September 2009 when they moved to Moorhead, Minnesota to be close to family.

Jean worked for Dr. Tyler Tillisch as a receptionist until the birth of her first child in 1947. She became a stay-at-home mother who kept a full cookie jar, a sparkling house, and could often be heard singing along with the record player or radio and later with the piano; she taught herself to play. She also sang in the church choir and sang for special occasions, weddings, and funerals. She once expressed her love of singing as “Just tell me where, I’ll be there.”

Jean returned to work outside the home in 1965, first with O’Meara’s and then as office manager for Drs. Ness and Pearson at the Fergus Eye Clinic. Jean was with the Eye Clinic until her retirement in 1986.

After retirement Jean remained active in her church and enjoyed aqua aerobics with friends at the Y in Fergus. She enjoyed family gatherings, hosted annual 4th of July picnics, made wonderful Christmas dinners where there “was always room for dessert” and baked special treats for her grandchildren…banana bread, bran muffins, pumpkin pie…

Four-footed friends had a special place in Jean’s heart. There were many through the years from the kittens who slept around her head when she was young to the little black poodle, Lincoln, who could always make her smile and loved to “visit Grandma.”

Jean is survived by her daughters, Patricia Steussy and Pamela Nelson, and her “wonderful son-in-law”, Lee Nelson of Moorhead; her grandchildren, Jason (Kari) Steussy of Waconia, Christine (Sean) Keller of Savage, Shaun (Jessica) Nelson of Fargo, Justin (Crystal) Nelson of Fargo, and Leah (Eric) Roethel of Moorhead. She is also survived by 14 great-grandchildren and one more not yet born. They are Jada and Evan Steussy, Tyler, Riley, Emma, Carter, Aubrey, Ava, and Mauer Nelson, Olivia, Jude, and Harper Nelson, and Cecelia and Isabelle Roethel.

Jean was preceded in death by her mother, Edith Hauge; her step-father, Ray Hauge; her father, Ted Neuman; her husband, Pat Connell, and her son-in-law, Les Steussy.

Service: 11:00 a.m. Saturday, August 15, 2020 at the Olson Funeral Home Chapel, Fergus Falls, MN. Please refer to her tribute wall on the funeral home website for a Live-Stream Link to the service at 11:00 a.m.

Interment: Oak Grove Cemetery, Fergus Falls, MN

Arrangements are with the Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls, MN
Online condolences www.olsonfuneralhome.com