Theresa C. Connell

Theresa C. (Mackins) Connell, age 84, passed away peacefully in the Harrington House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Walpole, Massachusetts on Saturday, January 16, 2016. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 25, 1931, she was the daughter of the late Harold and Mary (Coulter) Mackins. She was raised in Dorchester and graduated from Holy Trinity High School with the Class of 1949.

About a year after her graduation, Theresa married her husband, James E. Connell on November 11, 1950 in Saint Matthews Church in Dorchester. After making her home in Dorchester, Theresa took on the role of a homemaker to raise and care for her young family. In 1955, she and her husband purchased a home in Braintree and in 1961 moved to North Quincy, before settling in Quincy Center in 1968.

It was while living in Quincy Center that Theresa took a position as a clerk with State Street Bank. She also began taking classes at Quincy College, earning her Associates Degree.

In her retirement, Theresa and James moved to Cape Cod, settling in Dennis in 1996 and enjoyed spending their winters in Florida. The move to the Cape was for a short time, as she didn't like being so far away from her family, so in 1999, she moved to Weymouth before moving to Walpole in 2013.

She was a talented decorator and loved spending time decorating her own home based on the current trends that she saw in print and on television. Theresa was also an avid reader and had a strong devotion to her Church, attending Mass weekly and watching on TV daily. Most of all, she was a devoted family woman. She loved spending time with her children and cherished the time she spent with her grandchildren.

Beloved wife of the late James E. Connell, Sr.
Loving mother of Josephine A. Connell of FL, Stephen F. Connell and his wife Patricia of Walpole, Eileen T. Coner and her husband Joseph of FL, Michael J. Connell of Billerica, James E. Connell Jr. and his wife Mimi of Walpole, David J. Connell and his wife Gail of Chelmsford, Francis J. Connell and his wife Stacy of Braintree, Janine M. Bent and her husband David of Walpole and the late Timothy J. Connell and his wife Karen Dodero of Braintree.
Cherished Nana of Alicia, Domonic, Sarah, Meaghan, Christine, Brian, Joseph, Julia, Patrick, Bridget, Samantha, Matthew and Dylan and great Grammy of Karina.
Sister of Patricia Morgan of Jamaica Plain, Harold Mackins, Jr. and his wife Sue of Hanover, the late Josephine, Gloria Mackins, Elina Jenkins and Dorothy Wilhelm.
Also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend Theresa's Life Celebration on Thursday, January 21, 2016 from 4-8 PM and Friday, January 22, 2016 from 9-9:30 AM in the James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home, 48 Common Street, Walpole. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in Saint Timothy's Church, 650 Nichols Street, Norwood on Friday, January 22, 2016 at 10:00 AM. Interment will follow in Mount Benedict Cemetery in West Roxbury. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: St. Jude's Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.