February 12, 2019
Mary C. Connell (Jegier), 92, passed peacefully surrounded by family in
The Villages, Fl on Feb 12, 2019. Her journey began on Feb 11, 1927 in
Schenectady, NY. She was the youngest of five children (Adolph, Ziggy,
Helen, & Freddy Jegier). She attended school and church at St. Adelbert’s
in Schenectady, NY. Their mother, Wladyslawa (Ida) Kostrzewska,
immigrated from Krakow, Poland and raised them as a single mom.
In 1941 at the age of 14 Mary met the love of her life, William R. Connell,
at a roller-skating rink in Schenectady, NY. They married on Jan. 1, 1944
in Oswego, NY. They purchased their first home in New Haven, NY
where they brought three children into the world. In 1955, Mary and Bill
started a dry-cleaning business in Fulton, NY where they raised their
children. In the summer of 1960, Bill & Mary ventured cross country
with their three kids down old Route 66 to California. They explored the National Parks along the way and returned home along the
northern US after six weeks on the road. Mary and Bill spent many years camping and traveling Upstate NY, the Thousand Islands,
Cape Cod, and the East Coast. During their empty nest years, they had summer homes on Oneida Lake and in Hannibal, NY and winter homes in New Smyrna, Fl and Summerfield, Fl. Mary and Bill celebrated their 74th anniversary on Jan. 1, 2018. Bill predeceased Mary on Feb. 1, 2018. Mary and Bill are survived
by their three children: William R. Jr (Carol) of Liverpool, NY, Thomas M. (Priscilla) of Clayton, N.C., and Janet M. Cuyler (Paul T.) of The Villages, Fl. Mary & Bill have nine grandchildren: Shawn Cuyler, Scott Cuyler, Ann Cuyler Harris, John Cuyler,
Rev. Chris Connell, Tim Connell, Lt. David Connell, Sara Connell Brady JD, Ryan Connell MD. They also have twenty wonderful
great grandchildren (soon to be twenty-one). Mary and Bill were predeceased by their grandson, Paul T Cuyler, Jr.,(13) in 1983.
Services for Mary will be private and arranged by Sugar Funeral Home, 224 W. 2nd St S., Fulton, NY. A spring burial will be
in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Fulton, NY.