Rosemary McTeigue O'Connell

Rosemary was born on May 3, 1935, in Aughnasheelin, County Leitrim, Ireland to Patrick McTeigue and Catherine Roddy McTeigue. She was smart, strong, thrifty, brave, hard-working, kind, generous and patient. She grew up on a family dairy farm with her sister Josephine (“Pidgie”) Murray, and many cousins-as-siblings. It was a traditional Irish farm with no running water or electricity so cutting and drying peat for the family fire was a regular chore.

As a young woman she moved to London where she met the love of her life, a young US airman named Terry O’Connell. They fell in love and moved to New Jersey where she lived with her soon-to-be parents-in-law. They were married and after honeymooning in DC, Terry was assigned to a B-58 squadron in Fort Worth, TX, where they started their family.

Terry and Rosemary raised 8 children, packing up and moving frequently as a military family, embracing change and new traditions. Rosemary managed to be involved in all the children’s activities, making each feel special in their own way.

As a farmer’s daughter, Rosemary had a life-long passion and respect for animals and taught her children that pets are family, too! She taught them to respect and appreciate wildlife and nature, and was an environmentalist long before it was a “thing”, recycling, reusing and repurposing many things others would discard.

She was a relentless volunteer for school, church, and sporting activities, the local food pantry, driving seniors to medical appointments, and anonymously dropping off a bag of groceries to someone she knew needed it. Rosemary would and did talk to just about anybody making them feel valued.

When Terry retired, they shared wonderful times together with family and friends. They were regulars at their favorite places, especially the R&R coffee shop in Black Forest after morning Mass. They travelled the country and the globe, as time and health allowed. She took the best care of Terry until he passed away after a prolonged illness.

After she lost the love of her life, Rosemary embraced her new life and continued to travel, drawing people to her everywhere she went. As her health began to fail, she treasured the visits of friends and family. Typical of her spirit until the end, she frequently expressed her love, care and gratitude for those around her.

She is survived by her children Deirdre, Patrick, Katherine, Maureen, Christopher, Aidan, Kevin and his wife Vivian, and Neil and his wife Laura, as well as grandchildren Liam, Bridget, Camilla, Samantha, and Aidan and his wife Morgan, and great grandchildren Emmet, Reece, and Phoenix, as well as extended family in Ireland, New Jersey, New York, and many dear friends around the world.

Rosemary is dearly missed and will remain among us in all the lives she touched. She was truly a woman of faith and a role model for all of us.

A Rosary will be said in Rosemary’s honor on Wednesday, December 4th followed by a funeral Mass. She will be buried with her beloved Terry at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date.

Rosary 10:30 AM

Mass 11:00 AM

Our Lady of the Pines Roman Catholic Church

11020 Teachout Road

Colorado Springs, CO 80908

Streaming: OurLadyofthePines.org/funerals

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Rosemary’s memory to Silver Key Colorado Springs, where she spent many years volunteering.

SilverKey.org/donate

Silver Key Colorado Springs

Administrative Offices

1625 S. Murray Boulevard

Colorado Springs, CO 80916