02/26/2026
Congratulations to Jan and Gene Connell for being recognized with the Golden Hawk Legacy Award from Bethlehem Catholic High School!
Jan and Gene were tremendous leaders and mentors to many of our current staff and we look forward to celebrating this honor with them! ❤️
We are honored to announce the second recipients of the Golden Hawk Legacy Award: Jan and Gene Connell, celebrating 55 years together and a lifetime of faith, family, and commitment to the Bethlehem Catholic community.
Known simply as “Jan and Gene,” they have been a team since their first date in the spring of 1970. Jan moved to Bethlehem in 1969 from Valparaiso, Indiana, as her father’s work with Bethlehem Steel brought her family back to the Lehigh Valley. Gene was born and raised in Bethlehem and has called it home for nearly his entire life. Their years at Bethlehem Catholic were active and meaningful, filled with sports, student government, Pep Club, and Key Club. They also witnessed the memorable merging of the “girls’ side” and “boys’ side.” Above all, they remain deeply grateful for the strong Catholic education, lifelong friendships, and faith foundation that shaped their lives and generations of their extended family.
After graduation, Gene attended Saint Joseph’s College, earning a degree in Economics before completing the Mortuary Science program at Miami-Dade Community College. Jan attended Villanova University and went on to work in quality control at Kraft Foods and later Penwalt Corporation, where she was the first woman hired in her department’s Research and Development lab.
Married in June 1974 at age 21, they built their life and family in Bethlehem. Gene joined Connell Funeral Home in 1977, later serving as Co-President until his retirement in 2018. Jan joined the business in 1983 as Comptroller, retiring in 2022. Together, they dedicated decades to serving families with compassion, professionalism, and faith.
Their commitment extended well beyond their careers, including service to Little League, the Jaycees, St. Anne’s Parish ministries, Hanover School, and Bethlehem Catholic, where Gene served on the Advisory Board and helped lead the Endowment Fund campaign.
Blessed with two children and six cherished grandchildren, they continue to center their lives on faith and family. Fifty-five years have passed both slowly and quickly, and they look ahead with gratitude and excitement for what the future holds.
