It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of John F. Connolly on January 4, 2021 in Tucson, AZ.
John was born in Oakdale on September 7, 1967, to Jeremiah and Elizabeth Connolly and was the youngest of their seven children. He attended local schools and joined the US Air Force soon after graduating from Oakdale High school. John spent the majority of his military career overseas, mostly in England, Germany and Turkey. He was stationed at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, AZ at the time of his retirement.
John stayed busy in retirement but the most important was to meet and marry his love, Lucille Sorrellman. John and Lucille shared the appreciation of the wide open spaces of AZ, cycling, cruising thrift stores for books and quirky movies. He also finished his Bachelor’s degree, took up long distance cycling and rode across Iowa three times, did the Tour de Tucson for many years, volunteered at Tucson Medical Cancer Center and learned to cook. John loved to read, do crossword puzzles (in ink) and bake chocolate chip cookies.
We will miss John’s big laugh, long conversations, his presence, his willingness to drive 800 miles for a family weekend.
John is survived by his loving wife Lucille, Lucille’s children Shannon (Adam), Hollis and Rhiannon, his brothers Patrick, Thomas (Judy), Richard (Jill), sisters Mary (Ron), Kathleen (Scott), and Diana (Henry) and many nieces and nephews.
John will be interred at Oakdale Citizens cemetery at a memorial service on March 6, 2021.
The Oakdale (Calif.) Leader
The Riverbank (Calif.) News
John was born in Oakdale on September 7, 1967, to Jeremiah and Elizabeth Connolly and was the youngest of their seven children. He attended local schools and joined the US Air Force soon after graduating from Oakdale High school. John spent the majority of his military career overseas, mostly in England, Germany and Turkey. He was stationed at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, AZ at the time of his retirement.
John stayed busy in retirement but the most important was to meet and marry his love, Lucille Sorrellman. John and Lucille shared the appreciation of the wide open spaces of AZ, cycling, cruising thrift stores for books and quirky movies. He also finished his Bachelor’s degree, took up long distance cycling and rode across Iowa three times, did the Tour de Tucson for many years, volunteered at Tucson Medical Cancer Center and learned to cook. John loved to read, do crossword puzzles (in ink) and bake chocolate chip cookies.
We will miss John’s big laugh, long conversations, his presence, his willingness to drive 800 miles for a family weekend.
John is survived by his loving wife Lucille, Lucille’s children Shannon (Adam), Hollis and Rhiannon, his brothers Patrick, Thomas (Judy), Richard (Jill), sisters Mary (Ron), Kathleen (Scott), and Diana (Henry) and many nieces and nephews.
John will be interred at Oakdale Citizens cemetery at a memorial service on March 6, 2021.
The Oakdale (Calif.) Leader
The Riverbank (Calif.) News
Feb. 17, 2021
