- Date Of Birth: October 3, 1922
- Date Of Death: September 23, 2016
- State: New Mexico
It is with profound sorrow that her family announces the loss of their matriarch, Elsie McConnell. Elsie passed on September 23, 2016 – just one week shy of her 94th birthday – in Pensacola, Florida, surrounded by much of her family.
Elsie was born in 1922 into a pioneer family in Mountainair, New Mexico, moving often with the winds of the time, including a long trek in a covered wagon north to Lindrith, NM. She came of age during the depression, moving to the big city of Albuquerque to attend business school in 1941, just as World War II was beginning. As part of the greatest generation, she persevered with dignity and courage through the dark days of depression, war, family tragedies and the other life burdens. Dignity, courage and unconditional love are traits she displayed forever after and passed to her family as a model to live by.
She called Albuquerque home for most of her life. She retired from UNM after working many years as an administrative assistant. She was a founding member of Fruit Avenue Baptist Church and was a Sunday-school teacher for 70 years, living her life as a good Christian, faithfully and without fanfare. She loved to travel and never lost her love of exploring. She had a warming smile and a sense of humor that lifted the people she was with, no matter the circumstances or conditions. She was a strong and enduring woman of character to whom family meant everything, and to that family, she was everything.
Elsie is preceded in death by her husband of 45 years, Earl; her parents, Gus and Effie Mahan, and four siblings. She is survived by four children, Ron (Elaine), Tom, Patrick, and Shirley; 12 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren – all of whom carry a little bit of “Grammy” within them. She is also survived by a dear sister-in-law, Melba Mahan, and numerous beloved nieces and nephews. We rejoice that we had her in our lives as long as we did and we miss her terribly.
Thursday, September 29th, 2016, 5:00pm – 7:00pm, FRENCH – Westside
Friday, September 30th, 2016, 10:00am
