Loretta M. O’Connell

Loretta M. O’Connell, age 98, of Montgomery, passed away peacefully at Traditions of Montgomery on Sunday, December 1, 2024. Visitation will be held on Friday, December 6 from 4pm-7pm at the Schoenbauer Funeral Home in Montgomery. Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, December 7, at 11am at St. Thomas Catholic Church in St. Thomas with visitation one hour prior. Fr. Chris Shofner, officiating. Interment will be in the St. Thomas Catholic Cemetery.

Loretta was born at home in rural Montgomery on February 17, 1926 to Arnold and Sylvia (Taraba) Kline. Loretta was a graduate of Montgomery High School and attended the Mankato State College. After college, she went to Oakland California with her sister, Arline, where they worked in a candy factory making Mounds and Almond Joy candy bars.

Loretta was united in marriage to Richard J. O’Connell in St. Thomas on September 6, 1947 and together they farmed for 20 years. After they sold the farm, they travelled together extensively to nearly all of the states (including Alaska and Hawaii), Canada, Mexico, Czechoslovakia, Ireland, Austria, Spain, the Nordic countries, Japan, Thailand, Egypt, and Australia. For several years, they wintered in Florida where 2 of Loretta’s sisters, Sally and Deanna, and their families lived. Those Florida trips involved playing cards 7 days a week!

The town of Montgomery (and beyond) knows Loretta as The Avon Lady. She sold Avon for over 50 years and earned many awards. Doing so kept her young AND looking great!

After Richard passed, she spent much of her time with her brother, Gilbert, whose wife had also passed. Gilbert lived in a townhome just a few doors down. Lorretta enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren, and playing cards. At one time she was a member of fourteen card clubs! She was also a member of the Red Hats Club as well as the American Legion Auxiliary.

Loretta is survived by daughters, Becky (Bob) Block of Le Center, Vickie O’Connell (Dave Schlingmann) of Mankato, and Lori (Rick) Gregor of Prior Lake; grandchildren, Sara O’Connell (Rodriquez Williams), Jason (Shauna) Block, Corey (Alyssa) Block, Jenna (Kolton) Sundland, Madisyn (Luke) Zahm; great-grandchildren, Justin O’Connell, Jeffrey O’Connell, Sadrea Dobbins, Sade Dobbins, Frank Baugh, Sarod Williams, Denny’ah Williams, Owen Block, Alex Block, and Noelle Zahm; great-great-grandchild, Malcolm Charles Johnson Jr.; sister, Deanna (Darrell) Bowen of Florida; brother-in-law, Wayne Roberts of Florida.

Loretta is preceded in death by her husband, Richard O’Connell; parents, Arnold and Sylvia Kline; son, Denny O’Connell, grandson, Brian O’Connell; siblings, Arline (Dale) Shiers, Gilbert (Mary Ellen) Kline, and Sally Roberts.

Arrangements are with the Le Center Funeral Home. 507-357-6116. On-line condolences may be left at www.lecenterfuneralhome.com.