by Jamil Ragland CTNewsJunkie
HARTFORD, CT – Friends and family gathered Tuesday afternoon at the Cathedral of Saint Joseph to pay their respects to former governor M. Jodi Rell, who died in November after a brief illness in Florida.
The day began with the former governor lying in state at the state Capitol, where she was known for having an open door policy that encouraged visitors to come and meet her. After lying in state, she was moved to the cathedral where her funeral took place.
Gov. Ned Lamont delivered the first of four eulogies, and spoke about the dedication she showed to representing all of Connecticut from her very first day as governor.
“She wasn’t getting into politics for fame and power. She just wanted to help people out,” Lamont said. “She didn’t seek the limelight, but then one day the limelight found her, big time. Jodi Rell became Governor Rell almost overnight at a very, very complicated time for her state. It was a time for healing. One of the first things that Governor Rell did was she wanted to welcome everybody to the Capitol.”
Lamont continued: “A few hours ago, we were off the Capitol saying goodbye to her. Well, 20 years ago, hundreds and hundreds of thousands of people waited in line, coming at that very complicated time, to shake the hand of the new governor and give her hope and reassurance and love. She stood there for hours. Her feet started killing her, so she took off her high heels and stood there in stockings, and stood there until the last person had left.”
Ray Dunaway, the longtime WTIC-AM radio host, talked about her accomplishments from Operation ELF to same-sex marriage and public funding for campaigns. But the bulk of his eulogy focused on the decency Rell brought to her her tenure as governor.
“The thing you want when you’re doing a radio show is, well, fisticuffs. Let’s just put it that way,” Dunaway said. “And with Jodi Rell, she made everybody happy. You didn’t see it anymore. I’m sure there were battles between Republicans, Democrats, who knows who else. But she had a way of uniting people. And she is sorely missed.”
When her children spoke, they revealed a personal side to the former governor that few in her public life got to see. Her son, Michael Rell, explained the story behind her famous name.
Former governor M. Jodi Rell’s surviving family members enter the Cathedral of Saint Joseph in Hartford for her funeral service on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. Credit: Jamil Ragland / CTNewsJunkie
“Many have often wondered, and I think I’ve heard Ray mention it on the radio sometimes, where the M in her name comes from,” he said. “Born Mary Carolyn Revis of Norfolk, Virginia. She grew up on a naval base. My mom and her best friend June would often date naval officers. One officer insisted she looked like actress Joey Heatherington, but mistakenly called her Jodi.
While that officer didn’t stick around, the name sure did, and she became known to all as Jodi.”
Her daughter, Meredith O’Connor, remembered her for the way she poured herself into her family.
“After leaving office, she dedicated herself to her favorite role, being her grandmother,” she said. “Whenever she visited our home, she would walk right past me to wrap her grandkids into a hug, as if I wasn’t even there. She loved standing back to back with them to measure their height, or driving them to the dollar store so that they could pick out little toys and treats, a small tradition that brought her endless joy. My mother was the person I always turned to for advice. She knew exactly what to say and how to say it. In fact, I put off writing this for far too long because she was not here to help me with it. From my fifth grade essay to just a few weeks ago when I needed help crafting an email about a challenging situation, she was always my go-to.”
Kate Dias, president of the Connecticut Education Association, released a statement celebrating her work across party lines to serve the best interests of Connecticut and its residents.
“Governor Rell was a true education champion, and through the years, she worked tirelessly
with CEA leaders and staff to improve public education in Connecticut,” she said. Her leadership brought landmark investments in education cost-sharing grants, delivering vital resources to cities and towns. She was at the forefront of advancements in education technology, ensuring that all communities had access to updated equipment and reliable Internet. Governor Rell also stood with educators by joining the No Child Left Behind lawsuit and safeguarding Connecticut’s commitment to providing teachers with a secure and dignified retirement.”
Rell will be interred in the Connecticut State Veterans Cemetery alongside her husband, Lou Rell, who was a Navy veteran. The ceremony will be private, and a date has yet to be determined.