Posted on: Lancaster Co. Ne Obituaries Forum Reply Here: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/Ne/LancasterObits/10062 Surname: BENNETT, CONNELLY, DEEMS, GARDNER, GOODIN, HANLON, JONES, KAROL, MERCHANT, MIZE, PHARIS, PHILLIPS, MERCHANT, TOWNSEND ------------------------- Reprinted with permission of the Murray Ledger Times; Monday , April 9, 2001. John V. Connelly John V. Connelly, 52, Whitnell Avenue, Murray, died Friday, April 6, 2001, at 6:35 p.m. at Jewish Hospital, Louisville. Formerly of Lombard, Ill., he was of Catholic faith and a member of the American Legion and of AM-VETS. His father, Charles Connelly, died in 1973, and his father-in-law, Bud Bennett, in 1999. Survivors include his wife, Mrs. Diane Bennett Connelly, three daughters, Katherine and Victoria Connelly, Utah, and Jessica Connelly, Murray; three sons, Shon Connelly and Joseph Connelly and wife Katie, all of Utah, and Patrick Connelly, Murray; his mother, Mrs. Margaret Merchant Connelly, one sister, Mrs. Peggy Karol and husband, Wayne, and one brother Dennis Connelly and wife Laurie, all of Lombard, ILL.; his mother-in-law, Mrs. Audra Bennett, Murray; seven grandchildren, Jesseman, Savana, Whitney, Shelby, Matthew, Shonna and Jeramy. The funeral will be today at 2 p.m. in the chapel of the Murray-Calloway Funeral Home. The Rev. Kerry Lambert will officiate. Pallbearers will be James Pharis, Chris Jones, Andy Mize, Larry Phillips and Scott Connelly. Burial will follow in Elm Grove Cemetery. Visitation is now at the funeral home. +++++++ Transcriber's notes: John was born November 15, 1948 in Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska; he was the youngest child of his family. John engaged in several different occupations prior to 1971. John began is career as an offset pressman in 1971 following in the footsteps of his father, Charles Connelly, who was a compositor; his grandfather Thomas Connelly, who was a linotype operator and his great grandfather, James Connolly (spelling changed at Ellis Island according family legend) who was a bookbinder. James Connolly, along with his wife, Teresa (nee Hanlon) and children immigrated from Ireland to America in approximately 1871. All of these eventually settled in Lincoln. He is also descendant from the Townsend and Merchant families. Both of these families were Nebraska pioneers. His maternal grandparents were Temple Orvel Merchant and Margaret Louise Townsend. Temple was a pioneer of Gage county with his father, Isaac Temple Merchant. Margaret Louise Townsend was the daughter to I. Ora Townsend and Anna Deborah Deems, pioneers of Saline County, NE. Her grandparents was John Wesley Townsend and Margaret Elizabeth Goodin; and her great grandarents were Isaac Goodin and Fanny Gardner, also pioneers of Saline County, NE.