Philip Joseph Connell

Phil was born September 20, 1942 in Springfield, MA to parents Ruth Walsh and Philip Joseph Connell.

After World War II, his family moved to Darien, CT where he grew up and graduated from Darien High School in 1960. In 1964, he graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA with a BS in Economics and Accounting. In 1965, Phil graduated from the US Coast Guard Officer Candidate School. Subsequently, he served at Cape May, NJ and was a Commanding Officer of Kure Island LORAN Station in Hawaii.

Upon leaving the Coast Guard in 1968, Phil attended Fairfield University where he earned a master’s degree in Education.

In 1969, Phil began a teaching career in Long Branch, NJ. There he spent thirty-four years as a Social Studies teacher at Long Branch High School. For several years, he served as Head Teacher of the Social Studies department. He most enjoyed teaching Advanced Placement US History. A resident of Ocean Township, NJ for thirty years, Phil was an avid reader, gardener, and enjoyed spending summers at the beach. He spent the last 70 years waiting for the Cleveland Indians to win another World Series.

Upon the retirement of his beloved wife, RoseMary, in 2005, Phil and RoseMary moved to Carolina Shores in the Southeastern corner of North Carolina. In their years of retirement, Phil and RoseMary spent vacations hiking and photographing nearly every major National Park in the US and Canada, in addition to visiting several minor National Parks and US Monuments. In 2007, they spent the summer working and living in Yellowstone National Park.

Phil is survived by his wife, RoseMary, of Little River, SC; brother David Connell and his wife, Linda, of Fairfax, VA; daughter Erin Long and her husband, Michael, of Indian Trail, NC; son Kevin Connell and his wife, Liza, of Half Moon Bay, CA; daughter Kristi Connell of Toms River, NJ; and daughter Megan Connell of New York, NY. Also surviving Phil are his three step-daughters: Cheryl Garrecht and her husband John of Neptune, NJ; Christine Harrington of Boyton Beach, FL; and Katie Amodio of Myrtle Beach, SC. His eight superb grandchildren are Olivia and Nathan Long; Lexie and Macklin Philip Connell; Jaymie and Robert Amodio; and Aiden and Shane Garrecht. May they grow strong and remember their grandfather’s love.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00pm Saturday, June 1, 2019 at White Funeral and Cremation Service, 3660 Express Drive, Shallotte, North Carolina.

You may offer online condolences at www.shallottefunerals.com

White Funeral and Cremation Service, Shallotte Chapel