Patrick Charles McConnell
Patrick Charles McConnell, age 84, of Rehoboth Beach, DE passed away on Sunday May 24, 2015 of natural causes. He was born on June 5, 1930 in New York, New York, son of the late Patrick McConnell and Mary Baxter as a first-generation Irish-American.
Patrick grew up in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan and went to Incarnation School and then Cathedral High School. He graduated from St. Peter's College in Jersey City, New Jersey in June 1952 with a Bachelor of Science.
Patrick married the love of his life Nora on April 28, 1956, also the date of her birthday. They settled and raised their five children in Oakland, New Jersey.
He worked as a buyer for various manufacturing companies in the northern New Jersey area. In 1982, he accepted a job in Houston, Texas for Saudi Aramco Oil Company and moved his family to Kingwood, Texas. In 1985, Patrick, Nora and Michael were in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia for many months.
In 1987, Patrick and Nora moved to Long Island, New York and lived there until Nora's death 2009.
In 2010, Patrick moved to Houston, Texas to be with his daughter Eileen and her family for four years. In 2014, he then settled in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and was later joined there by his son Michael until his death.
Patrick was actively involved with the Knights of Columbus as a Third Degree Knight. He volunteered at various local libraries and at St. Jude's Catholic Church in Lewes, Delaware.
Patrick was an avid reader, bargain hunter and dedicated sports fan. He cherished the time he spent with his family, especially his grandchildren. Patrick was known for his distinctive booming voice and heart-warming laugh. He always had extensive family facts at his fingertips and was eager to share relevant newspaper clippings with whomever he cared about.
In addition to his parents, Patrick was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years, Nora King McConnell in 2009. He is survived by his five children: John, Rosanne, Brian, Michael and Eileen and her husband Mike McGrath and their three children Katlyn, Alanna and Kevin.
A Memorial Service will be held on Long Island at 10 AM on Saturday June 27, 2015 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, 9 North Clinton Avenue, Bay Shore, NY 11706. Interment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Heart Association, 200 Continental Drive, Suite 101, Newark, DE 19713.