Paul E. O’Connell

Paul E. O’Connell, 90, husband of the Rev. Phyllis B. O’Connell, died peacefully on Nov. 14, 2015. Born Dec. 15, 1924, Paul was the last of nine children born to Catherine and William O’Connell. He grew up in Cambridge, MA and at age 18 joined the US Army Air Corps serving as a First Lt. in WWII. He was a navigator on a B-17 bomber and, while on a mission, his plane was shot down and the entire crew was captured and sent to a POW camp in Germany.

Returning home, he, along with three of his brothers, went to Harvard University on the GI Bill. He married his first wife, Eleanor, while in school. They had six children: Brian, Eileen, Phillip, Douglas, Donald and Lori.

Paul spent his career as a college textbook publisher working first as an Editor for Prentice Hall. He stayed at Prentice Hall for 25 years and while there published The Jerome Biblical Commentary, among hundreds of other texts. In 1969, he and a partner started Winthrop Publishers, a subsidiary of Prentice Hall, focusing on texts in the humanities and social sciences. Paul served as Chairman of the Board of Winthrop until 1983.

It was at Winthrop where he met his second wife, Phyllis. They were married for 45 years and have two children, Stephanie and Kirsten.

In post-retirement years, Paul worked as a consultant for Lyceum Press, Bobbs Merrill, Dorsey Press, Pine Forge Press and Lyceum Press. He took his last business trip to an academic convention in Dallas at age 85.

Paul loved to travel. His favorite destinations were France and Italy. His hobbies included singing in church choirs and amateur musicals and, in the last two years, singing with a small vocal group at Youville House, the assisted living facility where he lived.

Golf was also a lifetime hobby and he played tennis until his hips gave out. Paul was an avid sports fan of every Boston team, and a day didn’t begin until he had read The Boston Globe. He leaves his wife, Phyllis, his eight children, nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

A memorial service was held Nov. 22, 2015 at First Parish, Unitarian Universalist, Wayland, MA.

Notes of remembrance may be sent to Phyllis O’Connell, 164 Galen St., Apt. 86, Watertown, MA 02472.