Thomas F. O'Connell

Thomas Francis O’Connell passed away on the evening of October 24th at the Woodhaven Retirement Community at the age of 86. He was born on April 2, 1926 in Detroit to the late Patrick J. O’Connell and Nora Keane O’Connell. Tom is preceded in death by his older brother Patrick and survived by his younger brother William. Tom’s devoted wife of 61 years, Ruth, passed away in June 2012. They are survived by four children and three grandchildren; Kathleen (Gerry Rumierz) and grandchildren Mathew and Ania Rumierz of Fort Mill, SC, Thomas Jr. (Robin) of Dearborn, Maureen of Charlotte, NC, Patrick of Taylor and granddaughter Kelly. He was inducted into the Army on July 18,1944, Company H 47th Infantry Regiment 9th Division as an automatic rifleman, served in Germany and received an honorable discharge in 1946. Tom did not speak in much detail of his military service but was more than happy to discuss his mule and its behavior toward men he did not like and his time as a movie theater projectionist as the war was winding down. After the war, Tom received a Veteran’s Certificate GED from the Parochial Schools Archdiocese of Detroit and went to receive and undergraduate degree in Marketing from Eastern Michigan University and an MBA from the University of Detroit in 1970. Tom’s advanced degrees were received through sheer will and determination and the support of his wife Ruth while working full time and raising a family of four over the span of 25 years in night school. Following the completion of his MBA, Tom taught marketing in night school at Henry Ford Community College for more than twenty years. Tom had a successful 37 year career at the Ford Motor Company. Beginning in 1986, while Tom was working at the corporate headquarters, he became involved in the college recruitment arena. Ford had a strategy to recruit minorities and Tom was responsible for identifying the best and brightest in Detroit area high schools. The students that Tom identified attended Howard University with the support of the Ford Motor Company College Relations Sponsorship Program. This became his life’s work after his official retirement in 1988. The Ford/Howard program was viewed as a huge success story among the automaker’s other college recruitment programs in terms of retention and participation. As of 2002, Tom was responsible for more than 200 students attending Howard University. He mentored many students that came from very poor beginnings like his and watched them become successful through hard work and perseverance. Tom’s experience during the war strengthened his faith in God. He was a spiritual man and committed to his catholic faith in word and deed. He spent his adult life volunteering in various capacities at his parish church and taught catechism to middle school students for many years. Tom loved life and lived it to the fullest. Visitation will be held on Monday, October 28th from 4 until 8 pm at Schrader-Howell, 280 Main Street in Plymouth. An additional visitation will be held Tuesday, October 29 from 10 to 10:30 am at Our Lady of Good Counsel located at 47650 N. Territorial Road, Plymouth, followed by a funeral Mass at 10:30 am. A brief graveside service will be held at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery located at 25800 W. Ten Mile Road. Condolences can be made online at www.Schrader-Howell.com. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society or the Alzheimer’s Association