Obituaries

Mr. O'Connell was born in Ithaca, N.Y., and grew up on a farm in upstate New York. He graduated from the University of Virginia, where he was a member of the Jefferson Literary and Debating Society. He received a law degree from George Washington University in 1967, where he did editorial work for Whiteman's Digest of International Law.

From 1968 until 1971, Mr. O'Connell served in the U.S. Agency for International Development, administering the U.S. foreign aid program. He traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Southeast Asia, and was headquartered in Saigon in 1968 and 69.

After deciding to leave the State Department and enter private practice, Mr. O'Connell moved from McLean to Warrenton, where he joined the firm of Carroll Martin.

In 1976, he and fellow attorney George Mayhugh founded a new firm, O'Connell & Mayhugh. Mr. O'Connell's legal specialties also included commercial and real estate litigation and appeals. He had a reputation for taking on tough cases and arguing them aggressively.

During his career, he argued appeals before the Supreme Court of Virginia and numerous federal district and circuit court of appeals.

Mr. O'Connell also served in several appointed and elected positions over the years, including secretary of the Fauquier County Electoral Board; member of the Warrenton Town Council; and chairman of the Fauquier County Water and Sanitation Authority.

Recently, he was on a panel discussion organized by the Fauquier Times-Democrat addressing the shortage of affordable housing in Fauquier.

He was also a member of the Virginia Bar Association and the Northern Virginia Building Industries Association.

Mr. O'Connell enjoyed his family farm in Madison County, near the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Survivors include his wife, Carolyn Estes O'Connell of Warrenton, whom he married in 1969; two children, Daniel Michael O'Connell III of Los Angeles and Lauren O'Connell Buckley of Washington; a brother; and a grandson.