67, died February 23rd. Born in Pawtucket, she was the daughter of the late Ralph E. and Mary F. (Bernard) O'Connell.
Barbara was a graduate of St. Mary's Academy, Bay View and earned her BA and MA degrees from URI. She was a retired elementary and middle school science teacher from Smithfield, RI. She was a life docent at the Roger Williams Park Zoo and an active member of the URI Master Gardener Association. Barbara was a St. Mary's Eucharistic minister at the Oakhill Nursing home.
She is survived by her brother, Michael O'Connell and his wife Kelly of Barrington, her nephews, Jake Davis and Max O'Connell and niece, Maddie Davis; she was the sister of the late Patricia A. O'Connell.
Her funeral will be held on Thursday, March 1st at 8:30 am from the Keefe Funeral Home, Five Higginson Ave., Lincoln with a Mass of Christian Burial to follow at 10 am in St. Mary Church, 103 Pine St., Pawtucket. Burial will be in Mt. St Mary Cemetery, Pawtucket, RI. Calling hours are Wednesday, February 28th, from 4-7 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in Barbara's memory may be made to: RI Zoological Society, RWPZoo (for Animal Enrichment), 1000 Elmwood Ave., Providence, RI 02907 or a public library of your choice