Mary J. Connell

Mary J. Connell passed at Davis Hospice on September 11, 2025. She was born on December 11, 1936, in Muskegon, Michigan, to Fanny Beddo and Joseph Dykstra.  She was the youngest of her six siblings and the last to survive of them, Harold Kystra, Helen Dykstr DeLoy, Margaret Dykstra Hall, Jack Dykstra, Joyce Dykstra Twiest, and Joan Dykstra Buckley.

She attended Muskegon High School, graduated and moved on to work in the journalism department at the Chronicle Newspaper.

Mary dated and eventually married Brian Connell in Michigan. The two of them had two children. They eventually moved to Wyoming and settled in Cheyenne. Mary graduated from both Laramie County Community College and the University of Wyoming. She earned her Associate's Degree as a student of the community college's first graduating class. She taught elementary grades for Laramie County School District #1. After retirement Mary and Brian traveled around the world.

Mary is preceded in death by her husband Brian, who passed away in January 2017. She is survived by their son, John Connell, and his wife, Gwen, their daughter Mary Beth Crips and her husband, Paul. They had three grandchildren and their wives, Joshua Crips and Morgan Hungenberg, Andrew and Lauren Crips and Steven Connell. A great-granddaughter was born to Josh and Morgan, Alice. Mary loved her many nieces and nephews.

Mary's family would like to thank Davis Hopsice, Cornerstone Health Care and Dr. Popova for their care and dignity toward mom.  The family is requesting no flowers to be sent.

Arrangements will be at a future date.