Anna M. “Annie” (Dawson) O’Connell, 74, died at her home in Holden on February 25, 2022. She leaves behind her devoted husband of fifty-one years, Bill O’Connell, of Holden, MA; two daughters, Tracy O’Connell Novick, of Worcester, MA, and Kelly Keller, of Charlotte, NC; two sons-in-law, Colin Novick and David Keller; eight grandchildren, Cameron Keller, Aisling Novick, Benjamin Keller, Mara Novick, Andrew Keller, Rhiannon Novick, Jonathan Keller, and Madeleine Keller; a sister, Sandra Dawson of Austerlitz, NY; a brother, Samuel Dawson, Jr., of Hillsdale, NY; nieces and nephews. She was the oldest daughter of Samuel and Edna (Davis) Dawson, and an older sister to Betsy, all of whom predeceased her, formerly of Deer View Farms, Hillsdale, NY.

Annie was raised on a dairy farm, where she enjoyed riding her horse, Buckshot. She was the first of her family to attend college, graduating from SUNY Oneonta in Oneonta, NY. She was a full-time and part-time teacher in the public school systems in eastern Massachusetts as well as Sterling, Massachusetts, where she and Bill raised their daughters.

Annie gave hours of volunteer service bringing people together, as a co-founder of Village Green Preschool in Sterling; as a room parent; as the organizer of the Sterling Road Race in support of the Sterling Education Association; as director of Christian education. Many happy meals were shared as a result of her work as Fellowship chair at her church, both in the evenings and on Easter mornings.

Later in life, Annie attended Rittners’ School of Floral Design in Boston, Massachusetts, and owned her own floral design studio for many years, providing beauty and joy to weddings and events in central Massachusetts. Alongside her husband, she was a member of Holden Chapel, Holden, MA, and Heritage Bible Chapel, Princeton, MA.

After her own diagnosis with breast cancer, Annie began a church ministry called Haven of Hope, sending encouragement cards and literature to cancer patients all over the United States. It was her desire that no one felt forgotten in their time of suffering. She continued this ministry for years, even after she was diagnosed with the liver cancer that would eventually claim her life.

The family would like to thank Dr. F. W. Nugent and all those at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, as well as those of the Visiting Nurses Association for their loving care of Annie and their support of the family during this time.

Calling hours will be held Wednesday, March 2 from 4 to 7 pm at the Miles-STERLING Funeral Home and Tribute Center, 100 Worcester Road, Sterling. Funeral services will be Thursday, March 3 at 10 am at Heritage Bible Chapel, 182 Brooks Station Road, Princeton; the service may also be joined via Heritage Bible Chapel’s Facebook page.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to NEADS of Princeton, MA, the organization that trained Annie’s beloved service dog, June (neads.org).