Mary Ellen Mooney O'Connell died peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, June 22, 2014 at Hospice House in Hutchinson, Kansas surrounded by her family. She was born November 4, 1923 in Chillicothe, Illinois of Frank and Grace Mooney, the oldest of six children.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Pat, Jack, and Tom, and her sister Virginia.

On September, 5, 1942 she married Larry O'Connell in Chillicothe, Illinois. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in September, 1992 before he passed away on April 30, 1993.

A Hutchinson resident since 1963, she was a homemaker and school secretary for St. Teresa's High School and Trinity High School, retiring after 22 years as bookkeeper and secretary at Holy Cross Catholic Church and School. She graduated from the Academy of Our Lady in Peoria, IL in 1940.

She belonged to Holy Cross Catholic Church and was an active member of St. Cecilia's Circle, Hutchinson Duplicate Bridge Club, Highland Women's Golf Assn., Carey Park Golf Club, Hutchinson Bowling League, Kansas Women's Golf Assn., Harvest House, and the American Legion. She was also a volunteer and Board member for Birthright, Inc., and volunteered for Meals on Wheels, the M2 Ministry at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility, and several ministries at Holy Cross Catholic Church. She was an avid sports fan all her life with baseball, golf, and bridge among her favorites.

Survivors include two sons, Jim O'Connell of the home, Mike O'Connell and his partner Sharon Puddington, one grandson, Michael, Jr., and two granddaughters, Jessica and Mary, all of Olathe, KS. She leaves one sister, Barb Davis and her husband Dick of Lilburn, GA, sister in-law, Shirley Anderson and her husband Jim of Chillicothe, IL, sister in-law Pat O'Brien and her husband Chuck of Peoria, IL, dozens of nieces and nephews spread across the country, and her beloved Pomeranian pup Corky.

Parish Rosary will be 10:00 a.m. Friday, June 27, 2014 at Holy Cross Catholic Church, with Mass of Christian Burial to follow at Holy Cross Catholic Church, at 10:30 a.m. with Father Joseph Eckberg presiding. Burial will be at Memorial Park Cemetery. The casket will remain closed. Friends may sign the book from 9am to 9pm Tuesday through Thursday and the family will receive friends from 6-8pm Thursday at Elliott Mortuary. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Church of the Holy Cross of Hutchinson, KS or St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital of Memphis, TN, or Cause for Paws in care of Elliott Mortuary, 1219 N Main, Hutchinson, KS 67501.