Inge Ursula (Schubert) O'Connor

SHREWSBURY - Inge Ursula (Schubert) O'Connor, 92, a resident of Southgate at Shrewsbury, passed away on Thursday, April 4, 2024, after living a long, full, and at times difficult, but always love-filled life. She was born May 22, 1931, to the late Adele (Urban) and Wilhelm Schubert in the former eastern territory of Mechtal, Germany, which became Poland after WWII.

Inge was predeceased by the love of her life Patrick Joseph O'Connor. She is survived by her faithful and loving son Patrick Wilhelm, and his wife Erin; her younger brother Siegfried (90 years old) and his wife Helga of Berlin, Germany; her niece Annerose Sessler of Valparaiso, Chile; her husband's son Paul O'Connor and daughter Mary Patricia (O'Connor) Lagodich. She was the adored "Omi" of her grandchildren; Caitlin, Quinn, Nora, Ella, and Rowan, and "Tante"/Aunt Inge to many dear nieces and nephews in Germany, Chile, Sweden, and the USA. She is also survived by her sister-in-law Kay O'Connor.

Inge would share stories about Germany before the war and a childhood that was idyllic, recalling singing church songs with family, homemade Easter crafts and Christmas gifts, skiing on wooden skis (breaking her leg on them), studying in school (she was very studious) and of each Weihnachten watching lit candles glowing on the tree. This tradition she passed down to our family, often to the concern of others who didn't realize they recalled blessed memories for Mutti.

When the war began, sadly Inge's childhood ended. Her eldest brother Friedrich (Freddy) was taken from their home to be a soldier and was not seen again. In the spring of 1944, Russian soldiers forced Inge's family from their home giving an hour to leave, and carrying what they could. Inge showed her ferocity that day, breaking the cast off her leg weeks early to better fit on clothing, and then packing her cherished schoolbooks. Looking back, Inge thought heavy books may not have been the best choice, but she remained proud to have included a book on foraging. It was thanks to her ingenuity, and being a bookworm, that many a mushroom meal had quieted her family's empty bellies. In the summer of 1945, Inge lost her youngest sister of 8 years, Gretel to typhus, and the sobs of her father remained with her.

After the war, Inge settled with her parents in Eastern Germany. She showed her strength and ingenuity again when she made a plan to flee the Soviet controlled territory and meet her older sisters, Adele (Delchen) and Elefrieda (Elle) in the west. She boarded a train, knowing it passed through a stop in Berlin's British zone. While waiting for her escape, Inge described "flirting for her life" with Russian soldiers, knowing she had the wrong papers for that train and hoping the conductor would not request them. Approaching the British zone, she faked illness and needing air, exited between the trains, and jumped off as the train slowed. Sometimes it was hard to imagine this small, 92-year-old woman had so much fire and verve in her.

Inge settled in Basel, Switzerland and worked many years for Mobil Oil, taking English classes on the side to advance her career. During the Berlin Crisis in the spring of 1962, Inge was again on a train, but this time she helped a group of American soldiers on weekend leave, who had asked for directions from a conductor who pretended to not speak English. She may have flirted a bit that day too, because on Monday morning, the Mobil Oil switchboard operator chased down Inge, saying an American soldier was on the line asking about a beautiful Fraulein, describing her and noting that she spoke English well, but not having ever gotten her name. This was the start of a long-distance, multi-year romance of letters, long-distance phone calls, and visits between Switzerland, Germany, and the US. In 1967, Patrick Joseph and Inge were married in Germany by her brother-in-law, Wilhelm Metzger, and she relocated to the United States. She was a new mother and sister-in-law in a new land and missing her family and their traditions greatly. It wasn't always easy being German in the US. Over time the relationships with her sisters-in-law grew to be cherished friendships with Mary Boles, Kay, Cindy, Eileen and Mary Murphy. Inge introduced a Swiss tradition of fondue for celebrations and at Christmas, getting a fresh-cut tree with real candles. She baked hearty breads that she longed for (in comparison to Wonder bread), and cooked other German foods for her family of 3.

Inge was faithful to her Lutheran religion, bible study, and proud of her German heritage. For years she enjoyed gardening at their Cape Cod home, cutting fresh flowers for the table, and inviting summer visitors. When they were very young, she loved having her granddaughters for a day camp at Cape Cod National Seashore Museum, buying them little gifts and passing on her love of nature and shells to Ella and Rowan. She enjoyed weekends in Sterling picking apples on Patrick's trees, sharing "what a blessing an apple tree would have been during the war".

In recent years Inge was saddened, recalling the years leading up to WWII, and the parallels in today's news. She especially felt empathy for refugees, as she remembered her own feelings of being one, and being turned away by fellow Germans when her family tried to find shelter. Due to those years of malnutrition, Inge suffered lifelong illnesses and pains. But you would only hear her say "today I'm goofing off" when she felt unwell.

Since Covid, she enjoyed daily calls and weekly pizza dinners with Patrick and talking about her life. She knew all the "goings on" across the globe of her family and shared every triumph, birth, illness, or death of a family member, no matter how far. She kept Patrick busy with questions about computers, smartphones and smart TVs, plus little projects around her apartment. As she approached 93, she still wanted to squeeze all she could out of life. She said "I don't want to dwell on the business of dying, I want to be in the business of living" - and with that spirit she took a cruise with the O'Connor family in August of '23. She felt the joy of sunshine, the O'Connor joking, the constant laughter, the sand between her toes and the warm salty waves of Bermuda's beaches, and above all else, the love of family.

Since March 2010, Inge missed her beloved Pat greatly, and though nearing 93, she would still sneak off to drive herself to the Cape for a "visit" with him. She'd bring red roses to his gravesite, as he always brought her during their marriage. Though Inge was aged, her death still came as a shock to us. Her mind was sharp, her spirit was strong. We have solace knowing she is once again with her beloved, and that our love for her will endure.

Calling hours for Inge will be held from 4 to 6 pm on Sunday, April 21, at Miles-Sterling Funeral & Tribute Center, 100 Worcester Road, Sterling. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, April 22, at First Church at Sterling, 6 Meetinghouse Hill Rd. Inge will be laid to rest privately beside her husband Pat at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill. Visit https://www.nebg.org/donate and select "This is a Tribute or Memoriam", then select "In Memory of Inge O'Connor" from the dropdown. A planting dedication will be created for each season of the coming year, at Tower Hill for all to enjoy.