Ann was born on February 23, 1931, in North Chattanooga and was a sixth generation East Tennessean. She graduated from City High School in 1949. She attended Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois and studied as a student nurse at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, Florida. While in Miami she met her future husband Bob of Boston, Massachusetts. After a brief courtship, they married and made their home in Chattanooga.
Ann and Bob joined Second Presbyterian Church in 1952 and became active members. Ann served numerous terms on the Session as a ruling elder. She also served on multiple committees and participated in various study groups. Her greatest enjoyment was welcoming new members to Second Presbyterian and sharing its history.
Ann was a natural born sales lady and began her career selling Christmas cards as a child. She rose to the position of district sales manager with Field Enterprises (World Book) where she worked from 1955 to 1973. She began her real estate career in 1973 and became a managing broker at the North Georgia and Chattanooga offices of one of the area’s largest real estate firms. Ann later served as a vice president of the firm. During her tenure as vice president she trained many new agents. She received designations as GRI, CRS and CRB. She was awarded the Chattanooga Board of Realtors Community Service Award and was a member of the Million Dollar Sales Club for twelve years.
Ann enjoyed playing bridge in the First and Third Wednesday Bridge Club. She also enjoyed dancing in the Circle 8 Square Dance Club and the Terpsichore Club. She was a certified fitness instructor with the Arthritis Foundation and the North River YMCA where she taught aquatic and senior exercise classes from 1998 to 2014.
Ann volunteered as a docent at the Tennessee Aquarium from 2005 until 2020. She was also an active member of the Nancy Ward Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Ann greatly enjoyed spending time with her family including her grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Ann was preceded in death by her husband of 52 years, Robert Cornelius O’Connell; her parents, John Dunlap Dickson and Sallie Jane Jones Dickson of Chattanooga; and her brothers, Jim Dickson (Marie) of Chattanooga and Jack Dickson (Jeanette) of Tullahoma.
She is survived by her son Patrick John O’Connell and wife Mary of Overland Park, Kansas; granddaughters Adrian Nohr (Alex) of Leawood, Kansas and Katherine Parin (Neil) of Portland, Oregon; great grandchildren Camille, Price and J. P. Nohr of Leawood, Kansas; and many caring nephews and nieces.
A celebration of her life will begin with a receiving line at 2:00 pm, a service at 3:00 pm and a reception to follow at Second Presbyterian Church of Chattanooga on Saturday August 19, 2023.
In lieu of flowers, a contribution to the Music Fund of Second Presbyterian Church or another charity is suggested.
Please visit www.chattanooganorthchapel.com to share your thought and memories of Ann.
Arrangements are by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, 5401 Highway 153, Hixson, TN 37343.
