Timothy

O'Connell

Timothy Francis O’Connell, 74, of Canton, Michigan passed away on November 12, 2026.

Born on June 19, 1952 in Detroit, Michigan he was the second child of David and Mary (née Keating) O’Connell. Timothy grew up in his beloved northwest Detroit neighborhood and had fond memories to share of his time on Stansbury Street. He attended grade school at Precious Blood and, later, St. Francis High School where he played football and made friendships that would last all of his life.

From 1972-1974, Timothy served in the United States Army, a duty he was very proud to have fulfilled. Later, he dedicated over 30 years and many thousands of miles walked to the United States Postal Service.

In 1976, at an Irish Festival in Wyandotte, Timothy met his future wife, Margaret. This was the beginning of their five-decade-long love story in which they became a living example of what a great love could look like for many people who knew them. Their marriage exemplified the features of the Claddagh symbol: love, loyalty, and friendship. The two were married on May 11, 1979 in Toledo, Ohio. They had two daughters, Molly and Maggie, who made him very proud throughout his life.

Tim loved sports. Over his seven decades, he was a loyal Detroit Tigers fan, but he’d cheer for whoever was beating the “hated Yankees”. The Lions were one of his other favorite teams. He never missed them on Thanksgiving every year after the family Turkeybowl, an important tradition that connected him to his past. He loved competing in the annual golf league with his brother, cousins, and former high school football teammates. Every summer he would set his sights on a first place finish. He achieved that goal once with his brother Dennis in 2021.

Tim loved a get-together, party, or gathering of any kind. He was quite good at yard games like horseshoes and bocce ball. He enjoyed playing cards and board games. He took great pleasure in the slow, simple hours spent sitting around a fire, drinking, and telling stories. He had the ability to connect people across time and place with the memories he held dear and shared freely. In this way, he was able to transcend generations, equally as comfortable with babies as with the elderly.

He had many titles and was a beloved son, husband, father, brother, cousin, in-law, friend, co-worker, and teammate. Of all the titles, his favorite seemed to be “Papa”. His pride and joy were his five grandchildren: Grace, Joseph, Patrick (Haller), Margaret, and Katherine (Hanna). He delighted in each one of his grandchildren’s new developments and accomplishments across the years. He was an active participant in showering them all with love and attention. He shared his enthusiasm for levity, fun, and joy with his grandchildren. Each of them were strategically introduced to the by-gone world of physical comedy of Charlie Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy. His interactions with them were filled with sound effects, silly faces, and borrowed phrases from his comedy mentors. He was thrilled to have a new generation of companions to relive the comedy that was fundamental to his own childhood. Every grandchild also benefited from early backyard wiffleball practice (he never got tired of pitching) and games of Rain on the Roof. He saw all of that pay off from the stands and the audience as each of them grew into athletes and stars of the stage. Even when his physical abilities limited his normal routine, he kept playing with his grandkids through video games.

Timothy was known for his easy-going and sentimental nature. He remembered people and places that came before and he kept those memories alive through his actions and his commitments to family and to tradition. He enjoyed watching old movies on Turner Classic Movies channel, the simple pleasure of orange sherbet, and his signature “key trick”, jangling his keys for a baby or toddler in order to make them smile. He was a gentleman in every way. He was a quiet and steadfast supporter of his family and friends, especially his children, grandchildren and many nieces and nephews who benefited from his consistently calm and loving nature.

Timothy was preceded in death by his mother, father, and younger sister, Rita.

Timothy’s life will forever be cherished by his loving wife, Margaret (née Hamilton); his daughter Molly (the late Michael) Haller and her children Grace, Joseph, and Patrick; his daughter Maggie (Paul) Hanna, and their children Margaret and Katherine; his siblings Patrick (Catherine) O’Connell, Dennis (Patricia) O’Connell, Anne (the late Alan) Fronk, Noreen (Don) Weston, Kay (Charles) Bovee, Tom (Bryan) O’Connell, Joseph (Deborah) O’Connell, his sisters- and brothers-in-law, his many nieces and nephews, and cousins.

The family will receive guests for visitation on Wednesday, November 18, 2006, from 4:00 - 8:00 PM with a Rosary at 7:00 PM, at O'Brien/Sullivan Funeral Home, 41555 Grand River Ave. Novi, MI 48375. 
Visitation will continue on Thursday, November 19, 2026 at 10:00 AM until time of funeral mass at 10:30 AM at St. Thomas a'Beckett Catholic Church, 555 S Lilley Rd, Canton Township, MI 48188.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to Tunnel to Towers: https://t2t.org/donate/ - OR - The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation: https://www.pulmonaryfibrosis.org/