Annajean N. O'Shaughnessy's Obituary
Annajean Nielsen O'Shaughnessy formerly of Clinton, Iowa, Tucson, Arizona, and Bettendorf, died on May 31, 2017, while living in Omaha, Nebraska.
The memorial mass will be held at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Davenport at 11 a.m. June 5, 2017, with a luncheon following her services. Internment will occur at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Clinton, Iowa, at 4 p.m. on Monday.
Annajean was born in Clinton, Iowa, the second child of Elizabeth Bennett and Aage Christian Nielsen. She married Winfield Joseph O’Shaughnessy on May 31, 1948, at Sacred Heart Church in Clinton who preceded her in death in 1983. They had three children Michael, who died in 1971, Timothy and Ann, who survive their mother and father.
Annajean attended local Clinton parochial and public schools. She graduated from Clinton High School, Mt. St. Clare Jr. College, received her B.A. from Marycrest College, and did her master's work at both University of Iowa, and University of Northern Iowa.
She taught grade level classes at St. Patrick’s, St. Irenaeus, and Sacred Heart parochial schools, taught junior high classes in Fulton, Illinois, and Lyons Junior High School, taught Language Arts at Clinton High School, as well as Adult Ed at Clinton Community College. She took early retirement in 1988, moving to Tucson, Arizona. She returned to Bettendorf in 2002 and recently moved to Omaha, Nebraska, to live with her daughter's family until the time of her death.
While in Clinton, Annajean was active in various school and church activities, serving on PTA committees and as an officer of several associations. She served as secretary on the first Parish Council at Sacred Heart, Clinton, and headed several major fund raising committees at Sacred Heart. She also served as a lector and Eucharistic Minister in both Clinton and Bettendorf, as well as in Tucson. She served as an officer and board member on the first Parish Council at Sacred Heart in Clinton and on the parish Council Board at Most Holy Trinity in Tucson. She was active in civic and educational organizations in Clinton, Bettendorf and Tucson.
In Clinton, Annajean was also active in social and civic work. She was President of Mercy Hospital Auxiliary and served as special gifts chairman when the new hospital was built. She was a charter member and past President of Clinton Junior Women's Club, Tri S Women's Club, was a District Chairman and Iowa State board member of the IFWC. She was a charter member and served as an office on the boards of the Clinton Symphony Orchestra, Clinton Art Association, and Clinton Junior Achievement. She also served on the boards of the Clinton County Red Cross and Salvation Army. She was a trustee on the Clinton YMCA Board, She served as President of the Clinton President's Club, a civic group composed of civic officers and business groups affiliated with the Clinton Chamber of Commerce. She was a Clinton County chairman for the March of Dimes and county Girl Scout cookie chairman. She also hosted a radio talk show on KCLN and worked in public relations.
While in Tucson, Annajean served as a Breakfast Chairman for Primavera, was editor of the Tucson Opera League newsletter, and served on the Opera League Board. She also served as a docent at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. She was active in the Tucson St. Mary's Hospital Auxiliary, where she headed the finance and social committees. She was an officer and board member in the Tucson Estates Homeowner's Association. She was a charter member and past President of the Catholic Ladies of Tucson Estates, which was affiliated with the Primavera social services organization. For a short period of time, she also taught at St. John the Evangelist school in Tucson.
Her husband Winfield and oldest son Michael preceded her in death, as did her parents Aage Christian and Elizabeth Bennett Nielsen, her brother John Bennett Nielsen, her sister Alice Marie Nielsen, and mother in law Teresa Smerekar O'Shaughnessy. She is survived by son Timothy and wife Kathryn of Pflugerville, Texas, daughter Ann and her husband Douglas Happel of Omaha, Nebraska, two grandchildren, Erik [Tracy] O’Shaughnessy of Pflugerville, Texas, and Robin O’Shaughnessy of Dubai UAE, and two great grandchildren, Timothy Robert and Kathryn Francis O’Shaughnessy of Pflugerville,Texas.
Memorials can be made on her behalf to St. Paul the Apostle Church in Davenport.
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