Paul O'Connell

Paul O’Connell was a man of great intelligence who used his gift to impact the world around him through his scientific research. He was dedicated to his work, but also to his faith and the family he created with his wife. Paul was an Irishman through and through and his heritage was a very significant part of his life. His life was laced with numerous accomplishments for which he was recognized, but to his family and friends, the memories of the moments they shared together will be Paul’s most treasured legacy.

The year 1922 was a year of new discoveries and new experiences. It was in this year that King Tutankhamun’s tomb was discovered, the first United States Aircraft Carrier was launched out of Norfolk, Virginia, and the establishment of over 500 radio stations by the year’s end created a bit of a broadcasting boom. This was also a significant year in the family of William and Irene (Welch) O’Connell as they were celebrating the birth of their son, Paul. He was born and raised in the Village of Newark in Wayne County, New York where his forbearers had lived since their arrival from Ireland in the 1830s. The residents of Newark take great pride in the history of their village as they are the only village in Wayne County that was directly established because of the Erie Canal.

Paul received his education in the Newark Public Schools where he discovered at an early age that he had an insatiable interest in chemistry. After graduating from high school, he then matriculated to the prestigious University of Notre Dame, located in Notre Dame adjacent to South Bend, Indiana in 1940. He was able to graduate early through an accelerated degree program that was offered due to WWII, receiving a B.S. in Chemistry in 1943. Paul’s education didn’t end there, however, as he was accepted into graduate school at the University of Rochester in New York. In the spring of 1944, the United States Army assigned Paul to a unit of the Manhattan Engineers based at the University of Rochester. Their focus was on devising biological safety processes to protect those who were developing the first atomic bombs.

The year 1949 was a monumental one for Paul as it was the year in which he received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Rochester. It was also during this year that he married Marge Wenning with whom he would share the rest of his life. The newlyweds settled near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where he accepted post-doctoral studies at the University of Pittsburgh. In 1951, Paul and Marge moved to Kalamazoo, Michigan where they welcomed seven children into their hearts and home. Their move was prompted by a position Paul accepted as a researcher at the Upjohn Company, a research and industry pillar in Kalamazoo. He continued to work for Upjohn throughout the remainder of his career in a series of positions until he retired in 1986 as a contracts consultant.

Although Paul was recognized for his achievements at Upjohn, there were others who recognized his numerous accomplishments. He was a devoted member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Kalamazoo where he served on the Parish Council. Paul was also selected as one of the first lectors in the Parish. He was an avid alumnus of Notre Dame as he loved following their academic and athletic activities with great enthusiasm. Paul even received an award from the University of Notre Dame in 1965 which recognized his accomplishments as one of the school’s leading scientific graduates.

In so many ways, Paul O’Connell impacted the world in which he lived for the better. He was devoted to his career and was also recognized for the advancements he made within the scientific community on many fronts. Paul was intelligent and hard working, and was proud of his Irish heritage too. He was a man of faith who will be dearly missed by all those he leaves behind.

Paul W. O’Connell died on Thursday, November 12, 2009 at Rose Arbor Hospice in Kalamazoo. Paul’s family includes his wife, Marge (Wenning) O’Connell, his children: Mark and Susan (Avon, CT), Peter (Slidell, LA), Helen and Allen Short (Wirtz, VA), John and Sharon (St. Paul, MN), Kevin and Margery (Orlando, FL), and Anne (Chicago, IL), four grandchildren, and two great- grandchildren. Paul was preceded in death by his son, Philip. Learn more about Paul and visit with family and friends Tuesday from 4-8 p.m. at the Betzler Life Story Funeral Home – Kalamazoo, MI; 6080 Stadium Drive, 375-2900, where a prayer service will be held at 7:30 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Wednesday, 11 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church with Msgr. Mike Hazard, Celebrant. A luncheon will follow in the church hall. Interment will take place in Newark Village Cemetery in Newark, NY. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can archive a memory or photo, sign his guest book before coming to the funeral home, or make a memorial contribution to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan or Bickford Cottage or St. Joseph Catholic Church.