Edward John O’Connell II
Wednesday, May 30, 1934
Date of Death:
Monday, December 11, 2017
Age:
83 years old
Wednesday, May 30, 1934
Date of Death:
Monday, December 11, 2017
Age:
83 years old
Wednesday, May 30, 1934
Date of Death:
Monday, December 11, 2017
Age:
83 years old
Edward John O’Connell II
Edward John O’Connell M.D., 83, of Rochester completed his life plan peacefully at his home surrounded by his family on Monday, December 11, 2017.
Ed was born in Rochester on May 30, 1934 to Celia O’Connell (Schwartz) and Edward O’Connell. He graduated from Rochester High School in 1952 and University of St. Thomas in 1956. In 1960, he graduated from St. Louis University School of Medicine.
He married Maureen Gallagher, on June 7, 1958 in Grand Forks, ND. They moved to St. Louis, MO during his medical school before making their home in Rochester. From 1961-1965, he did his pediatric residency at the Mayo Clinic. In 1965, he was appointed to the Mayo Clinic staff in the Department of Pediatrics and Allergy/Immunology. In 1966, he was drafted to United States Air Force and retired from service with the rank of Captain in 1969. He returned to the Mayo Clinic where he was a professor of Pediatrics, Allergy/Immunology and Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, president of the American Association of Certified Allergists, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, and president of the Irish and American Pediatric Society. He received the following awards: “Teacher of the Year” Hall of Fame in 1987, “Distinguished Mayo Clinician” award in 1995, “Gold Headed Cane” award from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology in 2003, and the “Distinguished Service Award” in 2005 from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology.
In his retirement, Ed “went back to school again” and was the editor-in-chief of the Annals of Allergy Asthma and Immunology medical journal. He loved his family first and also enjoyed nature, music, fishing, teaching, dogs, traveling and especially woodworking, making toys for children that he donated to the Rochester Ronald McDonald House. He loved to make people laugh; his unique perspective, stories, brilliant mind and sense of humor kept everyone on their toes. A true gentleman who was full of love, compassion and faith.
Ed is survived by the love of his life, Maureen “Rene”; three children, Maureen (James) Lehman of Minneapolis, Sheila (Peter) Roth of Coto de Caza, CA, and Edward (Hadley) O’Connell III of Mazeppa, MN; eight grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. He is preceded in death by two daughters, Kathleen (Mark) Krebsbach and Colleen O’Connell.
The Memorial Mass will be held at 10:30 am on Tuesday, December 19, 2017 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church with Rev. Msgr. Gerald Mahon officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the Mass at the church. Private burial will be in Calvary Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the Mayo Clinic Multiple Myeloma Research, Poverello Foundation, and Ronald McDonald House.
Condolences
The family of Edward John O’Connell II has received the following condolences.
So sorry for you loss. Ed Was such sweet and kind person. He always had such a nice smile. He would come into the bead store to buy Maureen a certificate every Christmas.
His wood work was outstanding and items that will be cherished for years to come.
Rest in peace Ed, you will be missed for sure.
Debbie Holtegaard
Maureen and family,
I was saddened to read about Ed’s death today. Ed was such a great mentor and friend. I learned so much from him about Allergy and life in general. He will be greatly missed. I am glad I was able to get together with you and Ed in the last few years. I am so sorry I will miss the funeral tomorrow. You and your family will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Sincerely,
Nancy Ott
Allergy Fellow 1989-91
So sorry to hear. You have my deepest sympathy. I do so cherish my time with him both at Mayo and later in the ACAAI. He was an inspiration to us all.
Dear Mo,
I have spent the last several days of thinking about what I learned from Ed. He was an incredible role model and a source of inspiration on so many levels.
Thank you for sharing him with us.
Kindest regards,
Bob Lanier Fort Worth Texas
Ed was an amazing Allergist and human being. I remember first meeting him at the ACAAI meetings and working with him while I was a fellow serving on the Board for the ACAAI. He was so very kind, approachable, and giving of his knowledge. A true mentor to many people that he came in contact with. As his journey on this earth has come to an end I will miss him and his council. However I will rejoice that he will now be able to be with God. We love you Ed and we celebrate your life and how you have touched so many of us. We lift your family up to God that they may have peace and comfort at this time and they may have the knowledge that you are in the presence of our Heavenly Father now. Rest in peace my friend and I look forward to the day that we will meet again.
Mr. Ed was my friend...in the true sense of the word. It was his nature to be a friend and he was such to many whose lives intersected with his. I can honestly say that I am a better person for having known Mr. Ed, worked with him, and been touched by his friendship. We loved you, Mr. Ed and will miss you more that you will ever know. However, you live on in us and the many whose lives you made better by just being you. Thank you for being my friend.
Dr. O'Connell will be greatly missed by many. He was my pediatrician and always went above and beyond to check in with my mom and me as well, when I had my first child to help in any way he could. I will miss his chuckle the most. The way he loved to tell stories will always stick in my head!
Dear Dr. O’Conk—as our Sally called you. Your pet name for her was “the ding bat”!! You were our family LIFE SAVER for one very sick little girl. You became our dear Dr. friend. Rest In Peace and say hello to my Larry and Sally’s dad. You work is over and it’s time to rest.
We love, miss you, and will always remember your great professional knowledge, sincere caring and always willing to take our thousands of urgent phone calls.
Forever loved by the Willis family,
Kaye Willis.
I can't stop crying right now. I can't even begin to explain how heavy my heart is right now. Dr. O'connell ("Dr. O'Conk" as we called him) was a life line for my family, with my allergy situation. If I remember right, back then, Mayo Clinic had never seen such a severe and crazy case of allergies in a child. Mom correct me if I am wrong about that though. Kaye Parker Willis
He was like family to us.
People just have no idea how often I had to see him for my allergies, from about age 2 until I was about 22 when he finally said to me "I think you've graduated from Peds Sally" lolol.I saw him around town once or twice after that is all.
I adored him. He always made me laugh. He was honest to God, a life line for my family (as were the Derm Doctors at Mayo).
Loved him dearly. Rest In Peace Dr.O'Connell....You leave this world having made it a better place hands down.
Love,
Sally Willis Oeltjen
I can't stop crying right now. I can't even begin to explain how heavy my heart is right now. Dr. O'connell ("Dr. O'Conk" as we called him) was a life line for my family, with my allergy situation. If I remember right, back then, Mayo Clinic had never seen such a severe and crazy case of allergies in a child. Mom correct me if I am wrong about that though. Kaye Parker Willis
He was like family to us.
People just have no idea how often I had to see him for my allergies, from about age 2 until I was about 22 when he finally said to me "I think you've graduated from Peds Sally" lolol.I saw him around town once or twice after that is all.
I adored him. He always made me laugh. He was honest to God, a life line for my family (as were the Derm Doctors at Mayo).
Loved him dearly. Rest In Peace Dr.O'Connell....You leave this world having made it a better place hands down. <3 <3 Hope my Dad is showing you around and joking around with you. <3 <3
Love,
Sally Willis Oeltjen
I just learned today with great sadness that my former mentor Dr. Ed O'Connell passed away. Ed was a true role model being a brilliant physician with a warm bedside manner, a scholar, and a sincere interest in helping others. He always had the kindest things to say to me over the years and could make you feel better about yourself with just a few words. A kinder soul, I have not encountered. My prayers are with his family.
May God guide to a great leader through his new life.