12/27/2011 10:26:49 AM
Mass Christian Burial for Martin Donald Connealy, age 78, of Lincoln, formerly of Mullen area.

Mass Christian Burial for Martin Donald Connealy, age 78, of Lincoln, formerly of Mullen area, will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church, of Mullen, Thursday, December 29, 10:00, with burial immediately following in Cedarview Cemetery. An offering of the Holy Rosary will be in Mullen, 7:00pm MST at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Mullen, Wednesday, December 28th. Vistitation prior from 9:00am-7:00pm MST. A memorial service celebrating Marty's life will be held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church of Lincoln on Saturday, January 7th, at 10:30am. The family ask that in lieu of flowers, memorials be offered to St. Thomas Aquinas-Newman Center, 320 North 16th Street, Lincoln, NE 68508. Arrangements handled by Mullen Funeral Home, Po Box 290, Mullen, Ne 69152.

Marty is survived by sons Bill (Renee) of Pheonix, Jerry (Sharon) of Whitman, Jack (Jane) of Lincoln, Mick (Kathy) and Terry (Lisa) both of Omaha, daughters Susan (Bob) Huffman of Bassett, and Kathy (Steve) Cleveland of Chadron, 25 grandchildren, and 7 great grandchildren, carry on the family legacy.

Marty Connealy was called to heaven on Christmas Day. A graduate of Gordon High School in 1952, where he held the shot put record for decades. Marty attended UNL on a football scholarship before returning to the Nebraska Sandhills, where he married Donnie Vinton in 1955. A lifelong Catholic, he divided his time as a member of All Saints parish in Hyannis and St. Joseph's in Lincoln where he served on the Newman Center board as well as the Lincoln chapter of Legatus. Marty also was instrumental in developing one the finest Angus operations in the country. At the annual bull sale, Marty loved greeting his local friends and neighbors and enjoyed widening that circle of friends as he and Donnie delivered bulls all across the nation. Famous for his love of all things Irish and his beloved Cornhuskers, everyone who knew Marty admired his intregrity, passionate love of life and boundless generosity. He treasured his drives through the Sandhills in his little gray pickup to view baby calves, walking through bulls, or taking a trip to the fishpond to feed his fish.