FRAMINGHAM- Helen Lee O’Connell, 95, a resident of St. Patrick’s Manor in Framingham, Massachusetts, formerly of Worcester, died Thursday, October 7, 2004. Mrs. O’Connell was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the daughter of the late Carl Russell Lee and Angela White Lee of Shaker Heights, OH. She graduated from the Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights, OH, and cum laude from Smith College in 1931. She spent her junior year of college studying at the Sorbonne University in Paris.
Mrs. O’Connell lived in Worcester for more than 40 years during which she served as President of the Smith College Club of Worcester, President of The Girls Club of Worcester (now Girls Inc.), a Director of the YWCA, a member of the Alliance Francaise and Chair of the Music Guild of the Worcester County Music Association. She was a life member of Worcester Country Club.
Mrs. O’Connell was President of the Class of 1931 at Smith College and a Director of the Alumnae Association of Smith College. In the 1950s Mrs. O’Connell conceived the idea of selling pecan nuts to raise money for Smith College. She prevailed on the owners of Tech Market on Park Avenue in Worcester to put specially packaged "Smith Pecans" on their shelves. The program became so successful that Smith Pecans are now sold nationwide.
Mrs. O’Connell was an enthusiastic member of the Worcester Craft Center. Each of her children and grandchildren has one or more pieces of furniture which she refinished. Mrs. O’Connell was also a poet and enjoyed gardening, antiques, bridge, golf and travel. She was one of the few women to play the Augusta National Golf Club prior to 1970.
Mrs. O’Connell’s husband of 54 years, Paul Revere O’Connell, died in 1986. Mrs. O’Connell is survived by three daughters, Ann L. Anderson of Paxton, Mary Lee Jamieson of Princeton, NJ and Helen L. Sunderland of Wayland; a son, Paul R. O’Connell, Jr. of Bolton; 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Nordgren Memorial Chapel, 300 Lincoln Street, Worcester is arranging a private family service. There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Smith College, Alumnae House, Northhampton, MA 01060.