Barbara O’Connell was born November 9th, 1920 in For Qu’appelle, Saskatchewan.  After finishing high school she joined the Women’s Air Force (WAF) Royal Canadian Air Force.  She was an administrative clerk and served with No. 8 Bombing and Gunnery School Lethbridge.  She met her husband Dennis O’Connell at the school and they were married in May 1943.  Following her service with the RCAF she became a housewife and raised three children (Sean, Deirdre, and Paddy.  Barbara was the last World War II female veteran in Lethbridge when she passed away in April 2022.