On Saturday, December 11, 2021, Stephen Gary McConnell, husband, father, and grandfather, passed away at the age of 78.

Stephen was born on January 20, 1943 in Carthage, MO to Martha Louise McConnell (Robertson) and Ralph Everett McConnell. Stephen was an active kid, palling around with countless McConnell cousins between Carthage and Joplin. He lettered in football for Carthage High School (Go Lions!). He also shined on stage in a production of Dirty Work at the Crossroads. After school he joined the U.S. Air Force. While back on leave he met a sweet girl at a football game over the border in Arkansas. Stars aligned with a lot of help from his future mother-in-law, and on September 2, 1967, he married Margaret Ann McConnell. After a couple more years in the service, they landed in California where they raised two sons, Jason and Brian. 

In everything that he did, he valued his craft, sometimes to the point of perfection. Maybe sometimes that meant that projects around the house took a little longer, but every angle was right and everything was always completely level. He instilled this same attention to detail in his sons. Sports were a passion. He was a Kansas City Athletics fan and then an even bigger Oakland A's fan. But his favorite team of all time was the team he followed around the country, Brian's football team, the Saint Mary's Gaels. The affection he gave was given in action; showing up as a father for sports and scouting, carving out time every Summer for a family vacation, and caring for his mom as she reached the end of her life. He was a quiet man, but his actions spoke loudly.

Stephen was preceded in death by his wife, Margaret Ann McConnell, his mom, Martha McConnell, and his dad, Ralph McConnell. He is survived by his children, Jason McConnell, Brian McConnell and Brian's wife, Yasuko, his grandsons, Sage and Ty, along with his brothers, Ralph, Mark, and James, and his cousin, Roy Lee McConnell. 

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