Jo Ann O'Connell

Jo Ann Boyle O’Connell, 83, passed away of natural causes on Sunday, February 6, 2022. She is survived by her three children and their spouses. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; brother, Thomas Boyle; sister, Mary (Polly) Linville; and her infant son, William J. O’Connell, Jr. A memorial vigil will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, May 20, 2022 at the Ursuline Centre, followed by a funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 21, 2022, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Jo Ann was born May 22, 1938, in Peoria, Illinois, to Shirley Marie Carroll Boyle and Joseph Edward Boyle. She was raised in Illinois, Tennessee, and in Idaho before moving to Montana, where she graduated from Great Falls High School in the class of 1957. Jo Ann and William John O’Connell were married at Our Lady of Lourdes Church on May 26, 1962, and raised their children in Great Falls. They celebrated 46 years of marriage until Bill’s passing in 2009. Jo Ann started her work life at the Rainbow Hotel, first as a telephone operator in high school and later as a server and hostess. Other employment included stints at First Bank, Diocese of Great Falls-Billings, and Advanced Litho Printing. She was very involved with the Catholic community in Great Falls. She served as a Stephen Minister for Sts. Peter and Paul Parish and later as a Sacristan, Eucharistic Minister, and Reader for Holy Spirit Church. In both parishes she led volunteers in creating beautiful environments to celebrate liturgical seasons. Jo Ann and Bill were very proud of their three children, Carol Lynn (Timothy) Paul of Great Falls, Debra Jo (Joe) Jacyna of Penticton, BC, and Sean Patrick (Teresa) O’Connell of Great Falls. They were especially proud of their 10 grandchildren, Tyler Joseph (Molly) Paul, Jeffrey William (Jordan) Paul, Spenser Timothy Paul, and Matthew Alexander (Ashly) Paul; Daniel Joseph Jacyna, Paul Michael Jacyna, John William Jacyna, and Josef Ron Jacyna; and Caitlin Marie O’Connell and Ryan Patrick O’Connell. Jo Ann also welcomed three great-grandchildren to the Paul family, Anna Balentine, Otis William, and Jackson Urban. Jo Ann is also survived by her sister, Sue Ellen Olds of Great Falls; and Joseph Boyle (Doris) of Denton, Texas.