2019
MARIE JOSEPHINE CONNORS (nee Rourke), age 97, of Rocky River, OH passed away peacefully on October 13, 2019. Marie was the beloved wife of James “Coach” (deceased), for nearly 61 years. Devoted mother to Anne Marie, Michael (Maureen), Patrick (Louise), Thomas, Paul, Mary Eileen (John); doting and loving Nana to William, James, Timothy (Jordan), Gregory, Kathryn, Christopher, Caroline and Sarah Connors, and Meredith Moran; loving great grandmother to Evie James and Roen Patrick Connors. She was preceded in death by her parents, Arthur and Alice Rourke, and her siblings, Virginia Lamprey, Arthur Rourke and Paul Rourke; and she was an adoring Aunt “Sis” and “Nana” to many. Marie was born in Winthrop, Maine and graduated from the University of Maine, where she majored in romance languages, was a member of Alpha Omicron Pi sorority, and honored with an Eagle Award for being one of the top ten women in her class. She met her husband James while teaching at Farmington High School in Farmington, CT. After her marriage they moved to Cleveland, OH where her husband coached and taught at St Edward High School. She was first and foremost a loving mother and wife, as well as a passionate educator. She was a retired teacher and yearbook advisor at Lakewood High School, where she mentored many students of all nationalities, and tirelessly pursued excellence in journalism through her work as advisor of the LHS Cinema. Her children can attest to the fact that is was not always easy maneuvering their way through educational pursuits with their mother being unwavering in her pursuit of excellence in the written and spoken language. Marie was a veracious reader, and loved to play and most importantly win at bridge, scrabble, dominoes and doing the most challenging crossword puzzles. She was a proud resident of her beloved Lakewood, Ohio and held the title of “Queen Mother” of RobInwood Ave., before her move to Rocky River. She cherished her Bridge Club members (past and present), her fellow residents at The Presidential and her LHS Retirees’ Monthly Luncheon group. She was a long-standing “snow-bird” in Naples, FL, where she made wonderful and loving friends at Greenwood Village, where she coined the beloved phrase “Naples Blue.” She also relished her countless summers on Cape Cod, spent with her mother and sister; New England never left her soul – nor her accent. The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, October 19, 2019 at St. Angela Merici 20970 Lorain Rd. Fairview Park, OH. The family will receive friends from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Friday, October 18, 2019 at THE McGORRAY-HANNA FUNERAL HOME 25620 CENTER RIDGE RD. (WEST OF COLUMBIA) WESTLAKE, OH. In lieu of flowers, family requests memorial contributions may be made to the Hospice of the Western Reserve, 17876 St. Clair Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44110; or to St. Edward High School, 13500 Detroit Ave., Lakewood, OH 44107.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of MARIE JOSEPHINE CONNORS 2019.
Death notice for the town of: Westlake, state: Ohio