Nellie Ann O’Connor passed away Friday, July 10, 2026, in Lincoln.
Nellie was born March 28, 1931, in Gillette, Wyoming, to Thomas G. and Evangeline E. (Fortin) Brooke, the youngest of their five children. She moved with her family to Sheridan, Wyoming, in 1943, eventually graduating from Sheridan High School. Nellie won a music scholarship to Chadron State Teachers College, as it was known then.
To help support herself, she played piano in a band, singing the standards of the time. It was also at Chadron that Nellie noticed fellow student Frank Edward O’Connor at one of his track meets, and met soon after.
Nellie and Frank were married Aug. 13, 1951, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Alliance, where they resided until 1959, when Frank’s work with the Burlington Northern Railroad took them to Lincoln. There they raised their five children: Frank Kelly, Jeanne, Gisele, Joan, Mary. In 1966, Nellie began her own career at Burlington Northern, starting as a PBX night operator and ending in a supervisory role in the accounts payable department, where she was recognized for her excellence in leadership.
In 1980, Nellie and Frank’s careers took them to St. Paul, Minnesota, where they lived until retiring in 1993. Retirement took them to Goehner, where they spent many happy years making new friends, volunteering their time, and generally enjoying the fruits of their labors.
One final move in 2015 took Nellie and Frank back to Lincoln, where they quickly immersed themselves in the community of Legacy Terrace, surrounded by new friends and a caring staff who became a second family to them. One of Nellie’s recent projects was to do the genealogy research to enable her to trace her Brooke family ancestry to colonial Maryland, gaining her membership to Daughters of the American Revolution.
She was equally proud of her French-Canadian ancestry through her Fortin side. Genealogy, puzzles, drawing, and dining at the small town restaurants around Goehner were some of her passions. She remained engaged and social, keeping up with current events and enjoying holiday gatherings with friends and family.
Nellie was preceded in death by her husband, Frank; daughter, Jeanne; parents, Thomas and Evangeline Brooke; Frank’s parents, Hugh and Bess O’Connor; her siblings and their spouses, Gaylord and Tony Brooke, Raymond and Dorothy Brooke, Jacqueline Watson, Jean and Charlie Bauer; her sisters- and brothers-in-law, Mike and Betty Manning, and Bruce and Sally Rockey.
She is survived by her loving family, including her children and their spouses: Frank Kelly O’Connor, Gisele Oseka (Dave), Joan O’Connor, Mary O’Connor (Dave Bridger); grandchildren, Allison Davis, Von O’Connor, Kelly Marquez (Nick), Julie Oseka, Laura Fraynd (Paul), Brenna O’Connor (Justin Aumann), Neil O’Connor, Tanaya Locke (Jeremy), Torry Bridger (Christine), Dale Bridger (Emily), Michela Foss (Jordan), Kaitlin Bridger; great-grandchildren: Annabelle, Coco, Della, Eva, Junie, Henry, Hugh, Elli, Liam, Declan and Teddy; and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.
Nellie’s family would like to thank and recognize the loving care she received from the remarkable people employed at Legacy Terrace. We would also like to thank HoriSun Hospice for their compassionate care and comfort.
The funeral service will be Thursday, Aug. 13, at 1 p.m. at Butherus Maser & Love Funeral Home in Lincoln, with burial at Calvary Cemetery immediately after the service. Memorial contributions are suggested to the donor’s charity of choice or in care of the family.
Arrangements by Butherus Maser & Love Funeral Home.
