Joan O'Connell

Joan O'Connell, 91 of Old Bridge, New Jersey passed away on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, at her home surrounded by the love of her family. Born Monday, March 11, 1935, IN Brooklyn, New York, Joan was the daughter of the late Joseph and Kathleen Kennington. Joan was raised in the Bay Ridge neighborhood of Brooklyn, and attended High School in Queens. Joan would meet Edward O'Connell in the same Brooklyn neighborhood. A friendship would turn into the love of a lifetime. The couple would marry in Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Brooklyn, that is where Edward proposed to Joan. They would continue to live in Brooklyn, and Joan worked for Cantor Fitzgerald in Manhattan. Eventually they would start a family of their own there, before settling in Old Bridge in 1964. Joan was the very definition of a mother. Devoting her life to her family, and becoming a mother figure to many of the other kids in the neighborhood. Joan was also a devout Catholic and parishioner of St. Ambrose Parish in Old Bridge. She would volunteer her time to many causes in the community and at her church. In her spare time Joan enjoyed completing different projects around the house and in her garden. She enjoyed working with ceramics, and of course watching her New York Mets play. More than anything Joan loved being with her family, and she will be deeply missed by all those that were blessed to have her in their lives. Joan was pre deceased by her beloved husband Edward, who passed away in 2005. Joan was also predeceased by her parents, Joseph and Kathleen, and by her brothers, John, Joseph, and Thomas. Joan is survived by her loving children, John, Rita O'Connor, Steven, and Geralyn Rigler and her husband Michael, by her cherished grandchildren, Kyle and his fiancé Morgan, Sean, Ryan, Kerry, Shannon, Ryan, and Stephanie, and by her adored great grandchild, Delaney. The family will receive friends from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM on Saturday, September 5, 2026, at Michael Hegarty & John Vincent Scalia Home For Funerals and Cremation Service, 3377 US Highway 9, Old Bridge, New Jersey. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 AM on Saturday at St Ambrose Church located at 83 Throckmorton Ln Old Bridge, New Jersey 08857. Interment will be in Holy Cross Burial Park, East Brunswick, NJ. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.HegartyScaliaFuneralHome.com

Joan O'Connell

March 11, 1935 - September 1, 2026