Anna Connell

Simsbury — Anna M. Connell, 86, of Simsbury and formerly of Uncasville, beloved wife for 42 years of the late James Connell, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018, surrounded by her family at her home.

Born in Mechanicville, N.Y., on July 28, 1931, daughter of the late Donato and Josephine (D’Angiolillo) Vignone, she was raised in Mechanicville, N.Y., and was a graduate of Mechanicville High School. After her graduation, Anna took a position at Montgomery Ward in Albany, N.Y. After marrying her husband James, she moved to Uncasville and started working at the Montgomery Ward in New London. After Montgomery Ward closed, Anna worked at Mallove’s Jewelers in Waterford as a collector until her retirement in 2008.

A devout Catholic her entire life, Anna enjoyed visiting holy sites with her husband and regularly went to visit St. Anne’s Shrine in Isle La Motte, Vt., for retreats and time spent in prayer. She was a parishioner of St. John the Evangelist Church in Uncasville for over 40 years. In her spare time, she enjoyed spending time with her family and watching UConn women’s basketball games.

She leaves a brother, Frank Vignone and his wife, Carol, of Leesburg, Fla.; five nieces and nephews, David Leonard and his wife, Joy, of Hartwell, Ga., Dan Leonard and his wife, Kathleen, with whom she made her home over the last two years, of Simsbury, Donna Miranda and her husband, James, of Freehold, N.J., Dan Vignone of North Carolina, and Frank Vignone Jr. and his wife, Annette, of Florida; a great-great nephew whom she shared a special bond with, Dylan Leonard of Simsbury; and three close friends, Ann Fascia and Ida Fabio of Mechanicville, N.Y., and Sheila O’Keefe of Uncasville. Besides her husband, she was predeceased by two brothers, Christopher and Donato Vignone, and a sister, Carmela Leonard.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 19, at St. John the Evangelist Church, 22 Maple Ave., Uncasville. Burial will follow in Maplewood Cemetery, Norwich.

Memorial donations may be made to Hartford HealthCare at Home, Attn: Hospice, 1290 Silas Deane Highway, Wethersfield, CT 06109.

Hayes-Huling & Carmon Funeral Home in Granby has care of the arrangements. For online condolences please visit www.carmonfuneralhome. com.