Johanna Loretta O'Connell

Mrs. Johanna L. O’Connell, 62 of Ubly, passed away suddenly Friday, August 30, 2019.

She was born on December 2, 1956 in Chicago to the late Paul C. and Rose P. (Beilstien) Deane. She married her high school sweetheart, Terry O’Connell on August 15, 2009 in Janesville, WI.

Johanna was a 1975 graduate of Bogan High School in Chicago and was a US Army Veteran, serving for two years. She then attended and received her special education teaching degree from Arkansas State University and her Masters degree from Saginaw Valley. Johanna taught at Ubly Community Schools for 20 years and for 10 years at Hackett School in Beloit, WI while living in Milton, WI. She then retired in 2017 and moved back to Ubly to be close to her children and grandchildren. Johanna loved to golf, read, play cards, listen to music, sing and dance. She enjoyed traveling with her husband, especially to Cocoa Beach, FL and wintering with family there. Johanna cherished time spent with her loving family and grandchildren. Her smile and laugh were infectious to anyone who crossed her path. She will be missed by all those that knew and loved her.

Johanna is survived by her husband, Terry O’Connell of Ubly; two children, Elizabeth (Eric) Brilinski and Charlie (Kimberly) Bragg, both of Ubly; 6 grandchildren, Rose, Roger and Anna Rae Brilinski, Eva, Evander and Lennon Bragg; six brothers and six sisters, Paul (Twila) Deane of Ohio, Rose Ann (Jay) Knowles of MO, William (Karen) Deane of NE, Mary Lou (Denny) Toolan of MI, Michael (Andrea) Deane of IL Patrick (Don Bowles) Deane of FL, Sally (Tom O’Connell) Norton of FL, Dorothy (John) Stoll of Fl., Margaret (Chuck Keillor) Deane of NE, Mark (Sandy) Deane of NE, Peter Deane of Ohio, Beth Ellen Deane of MI; two sisters-in-law, Susan (Karl) Kramers, Kathy (Mike) Strickler of IL; many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her twin sons, Matthew Mark and Jason John.

Mass of Christian burial for Johanna will be 11:00 am Wednesday, September 4 at St. John Catholic Church, Good Shepherd Parish in Ubly. Rev. Nate Harburg, pastor, will officiate.

Visitation will be at the Zinger-Smigielski Funeral Home in Ubly on Tuesday from 1:00-8:00 pm and Wednesday at St. John Church from 10:-10:45 am. There will be a parish vigil service Tuesday evening at 6 pm at the funeral home. 

Please direct memorials to Johanna’s family, care of her husband, Terry.  Many family members are at the Ameriway Motel in Bad Axe, if others wish to stay there with them.