Obituary of Sabina McGonnell

Sabina McGonnell, 79 of Daufuskie Island, SC, passed away peacefully on June 4th, 2022, after a courageous fight against Alzheimer’s disease. 

Born in 1943 in Hartford, CT, Sabina was the daughter of John and Sabina (Jordan) Freeburn. She attended Saint Joseph High School and graduated as the valedictorian of her class. She attended Rosemont College on a full scholarship before transferring to San Diego University for her senior year. Sabina married the love of her life, Joseph McGonnell, in December 1964 and remained married for 57 years. She is survived by her husband Joe (Daufuskie Island, SC), four children: Robin Gervasoni (Portland, OR), Joe Jr. and Jeri McGonnell (Phoenix, AZ), Dr.s Chris McGonnell and Ann Liu (Dallas, TX), and Heather and Scot Schrager (Burke, VA), as well as seven grandchildren who she adored greatly: Brandon, Abby, Jordan, Liam, Lucas, Samantha and Alyssa.

Sabina was known for her kindness, infectious smile and willingness to help anyone at any time. She was an avid traveler, visiting all seven continents throughout her life and grew to become a passionate golfer in retirement. She was also very active in numerous charities throughout her life and donated a lot of her time to children’s charities.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Sabina’s name may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or Daufuskie Historical Society.