Obituary of Ann Connolly

Ann M. Connolly, a registered nurse with a kind heart passed away from the effects of Alzheimer ’s disease on Monday afternoon, May 4, 2015. She was 74 years old. Ann was born in Cambridge, the daughter of the late Thomas and Rita Legere. She grew up in Arlington and Winchester. She was a competitive young woman playing golf, tennis, softball, and swimming. She loved sailing and her family was a member of the Winchester Boat Club. With her competitive nature, she went onto to compete nationally in the Snipe Class (15 ½ foot 2 person racing dinghy). She and her brother Tommy raced all over the country. As a mother she shared her competitive spirit and supported her children’s interests which included hockey and tennis. She was a bit of an adventurer. Ann and her family camped all over the eastern part of the United States and Canada. She loved to travel and visited destinations including Hawaiian Islands, Japan, and Canada. She also enjoyed going on cruises experiencing different cultures and seeing the world. For Ann, being a nurse was the perfect calling. After graduating from Matignon High School, she earned her nursing degree from Mt. Auburn School of Nursing, graduating in 1961. She worked at the Symmes Hospital in Arlington and then spent over 20 years as an Intensive Care and Coronary Care nurse at the Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington. She loving cared for her patients and their families, giving them comfort, and walking the road with them as their family members struggled between life and death. Her warmth, expertise, and love helped so many overcome their fear and illnesses. When a patient’s prognosis was not promising, she had the kindness and compassion to help them pass on with dignity, while comforting and consoling their loved ones who remain. She was truly a special woman and nurse and a special angel sent by God to care for those in need. Ann made a difference in and touched so many families lives throughout her career. Ann was the devoted wife of 50 years of Joseph Connolly. She was the loving mother of Michael Connolly & his wife Kerry of Hingham, Kathleen Ahern & her husband Sean of Buford, GA and Kevin Connolly & his wife Courtney of Chicago, IL. She was the sister of Thomas Legere, Jr. of Winchester and Peter Legere of OH. Ann was the proud grandmother of Hannah, Tess, Brady, Maisy, Emma & Nolan Connolly and Kelly & Maddy Ahern. Funeral from the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (Exit 34 off Rt. 128, Woburn side) on Friday, May 8 at 9 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Margaret’s Church, 111 Winn St., Burlington at 10 a.m. Visiting hours Thursday 4-7 p.m. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Ann’s name may be made to Alzheimer’s Association, 480 Pleasant St., Watertown, MA 02472.