Obituary of Marianne Connell

Connell, Marianne Katherine Ludwig. It is with great sadness that we announce the
passing of our beloved mother, Marianne Ludwig Connell, on February 4, 2024 in
Tucson. Marianne was born on May 22, 1939 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to August
William and Katherine Mulvihill Ludwig. Marianne attended the University of Arizona
where she was a member of Gamma Phi Beta Sorority. She received her degree in
Elementary Education and moved to California to begin her career. Marianne was a
teacher in West Covina, CA before the birth of her oldest daughter. She returned to
education as a reading specialist at Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic School,
Claremont, CA, where she touched the lives of many young people through her love,
dedication, and genuine concern for her students. After moving to Tucson in 1993,
Marianne continued to work with youth by teaching religious education at St. Thomas
the Apostle Catholic Church and volunteering for CASA of Pima County. Marianne was
a true “people person” who enjoyed meeting and conversing with others. She never
met a person she did not connect with and made many friends around the world.
Marianne was a voracious reader and travel aficionado known for her elegant sense of
style, excellent advice, and generous heart. Marianne was a devoted and loving wife to
Robert Duane (“Bob”) Connell. She was widowed in 2016 after 53 years of marriage.
Marianne was the very best mother to her three daughters, Kathryn Baggarly (James),
Kelley Pitré (Michael), and Michelle Ritz (Jason). She was an involved, loving
grandmother who derived great pride and joy from her nine grandchildren: Robert,
William, Edward (Ned), and Katherine Eleanor (Nora) Baggarly; John and Katherine
Pitré, and Katherine Grace (Grace), Liam, and Olivia Ritz. In addition to her immediate
family, Marianne leaves behind her beloved older brother Dr. Robert Ludwig, wife Lois
(Bunkie), and their children: Christine Brown (Tom), Michael Ludwig (Amy), and Eric
Ludwig (Beth), and their respective children and grandchildren. A Funeral Mass will be
held at the Chapel at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church on Thursday, February
22, 2024 at 10:30 am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in
Marianne’s name to St. Thomas the Apostle’s St. Vincent de Paul Society or CASA
Support Council for Pima County, Inc.