Lee Mcconnell

A memorial service and celebration of Lee McConnell"s life and legacy will occur at 2:00 P.M. Wednesday, December 2 at the First United Methodist Church with Rev. Kevin Deckard, Associate Pastor of Polk Street United Methodist Church in Amarillo, and Rev. John McClean, pastor, officiating. Lee Una McConnell was an elegant and refined beauty, with sparkling eyes and a radiant smile. Her impeccable grooming, attire, and manners were the outward manifestations of a gentle temperment, a warm and generous nature, and a noble soul. She was a source of love, support, inspiration, and compassion to her immediate and extended family, numerous friends, and generations of students and young professionals. We celebrate and thank the Lord for her wonderful life and rejoice in the promise of her eternal reward. Lee Una was born September 14, 1915 in Sanger, Texas to Benjamin F. and Loreen M. Watson Sullivan. She was raised with her two younger sisters, Ben Dell, now deceased, and Laverne in Sanger, Wichita Falls, and Waco. She graduated from Waco High School and completed her Bachelor"s Degree in three years, graduating in 1936. She began her career in teaching in Airedale, and taught in Kerrville and Corpus Christi, before moving to Canyon during World War II, where she was Assistant Registrar at WT and coordinated the cadet training program. She completed a Master"s Degree at the University of Texas during three summers, early in her teaching career. Later, she taught at Amarillo College and Pampa High School. She met the love of her life, J.G. McConnell, on a blind date, shortly after his return to Pampa following his Army service during World War II. They were married at Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth, November 8, 1947, and moved to Crowley County, Colorado, where they farmed and ranched through 1959. Lee returned to teaching when their son, Gordon, began first grade in 1956. She taught business and journalism at Ordway High School from 1957 to 1964. She taught night school classes at Otero Junior College in La Junta, Colorado, beginning in the 1950s, and in 1964 moved to La Junta with her family, where she was Chair of the Business Department at OJC until her retirement in 1982. Countless young women and men benefitted from her teaching, mentoring, and warm, supportive confidence in their abilities. She was a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma and PEO Sororities. Lee and J.G. were members of Pearl Lakes Trout Club of Creede, Colorado and the Denver based Ports of Call Travel Club. They traveled over 200, 000 miles together, visiting China, Japan, Bali, Western Europe, and seven countries in Africa. They were world travelers and the best of friends. In 1995, Lee and J.G. moved to Canyon and became members of the First United Methodist Church. Lee is survived by her husband of 62 years, J.G. McConnell, of Canyon; son, Gordon McConnell and wife, Betty, of Billings, Montana; and a sister, Laverne Brewster, of Georgetown, Texas. The family suggests that memorials be made to the First United Methodist Church of Canyon, 1818 4th Avenue, Canyon, TX 79015 or to the college of your choice.