Mary Clare Koltes O’Connell, formerly of Belmont, who dedicated her life to sports, arts, music and her family, died July 27.
She was born Feb. 9, 1930, in Minneapolis, Minn., a daughter of Raymond and Dorothy Koltes. She is now reunited in heaven with her husband Dan, who died in 1987, her parents, brother Tom, sisters Lucia and Debbie, and grandson, Markie.
Her sister Dorothy “Chidie” Farley carries on the Koltes spirit in Naples, Fla.
Clare lived in Belmont for 35 years, raising her four children: Daniel, Mark, Christopher, and Elizabeth. Family meant everything to her, and she was eternally happy that “we all get along.” She loved being a mother of four and grandmother to 13–dedicating her life to sharing her love
of sports, the arts, music, flowers, and the pleasure of a beautiful tablescape.
Clare will also be remembered as a talented tennis player. She taught herself to play on the backboards at the University of Wisconsin courts, becoming the number-one junior at age 18 while also winning the ladies Wisconsin state title that same year. She went on to the University of Wisconsin – Madison where she practiced with the men’s tennis team because a women’s team did not exist. She graduated in 1953 with an art history degree. Moving to Cleveland after graduation, she met her husband-to-be Daniel Vincent O’Connell of Belmont. She and Dan found a house next to the Belmont Tennis Club where she taught her children to play
during their lunch breaks from school. She shared her love and knowledge of tennis by spending most of her adult life teaching the next generation: adult lessons through the recreation department, coaching the Belmont High School Girls’ team.
She would always remind us, “if you play tennis well, you will find friends wherever you go.”
Widowed in 1987 at age 57, Clare moved to Naples, Fla. living at the Naples Bath and Tennis Club. She spent her summers in Saunderstown R.I., where she nurtured her gardens, partnered on the courts with daughter Liz, and enjoyed visits from her grandchildren–sometimes
reminding them that “work is good for you.”
Her greatest joy in her later years were her grandchildren- Ainsley, Caitlin, Mari, Gwenyth (Dan and Muffy), Abby, Sarah, Markie (Mark and Ann), Christopher, Daniel, and Lauren (Chris and Sue), Hannah, Clare, and Eliza (Charlie and Liz); their games, their shows, their careers and
accomplishments were a constant source of pleasure. She was loved dearly and will be dearly missed.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024, at 10 a.m. at St Luke’s Church, 132 Lexington St. Belmont.
A visiting hour will precede the service at 9 a.m. at St. Luke’s Church.
Submitted by the Schmidt and Bartlett Funeral Services, Merquon, Wis.