Longtime Special Ed Teacher Dies

Courtesy of Snover/Givnish Funeral Home

Longtime special education teacher Joan Ann “Joanie” McConnell, of Cinnaminson, passed away last Wednesday, Aug. 7, with her family by her side. She was 50.

Joan is the daughter of Joan (nee Geiss) and the late Francis McConnell. She is preceded in death by her sister, Ann Marie Falls, and her brother, Frank McConnell.

She is survived by her brother, Jerry McConnell, his wife, Patty, and her brother-in-law John Falls. She is also survived by her nieces Jeannie and Katie, her nephews Frank and Tim, and her grandnephews Derrick, Bryant, Elijah, Isaiah and Darrius, all of whom she adored. She will be missed by her many cousins and dear aunt, Kathy Schneider.

Joan graduated from Glassboro State College and was a special education teacher in the Burlington City School District for 20 years. She was a very dedicated teacher who truly cared about her students.

Most important to Joan was her faith, family and friends. She was an active member of St. Charles Borromeo Church, where she taught CCD and the children’s liturgy at Sunday mass for 10 years before she got sick. She will be remembered as having a very kind and generous heart. Everyone who knew Joan loved her.

She will be dearly missed by her family, friends, those who took care of her during her illness, those in the Burlington City Schools, and her neighbors Ruth, JoAnn, Gloria, Mickey and Honey, whom she called her second moms.

A funeral mass was held Monday morning at St. Charles Borromeo Church. Interment took place in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, 3301 W. Cheltenham Ave., Philadelphia.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Joan’s name may be made to the St. Charles Borromeo Scholarship Fund, 2226 Riverton Rd., P.O. Box 2220, Cinnaminson, NJ 08077.