Obituary for Dick McConnell
Peacefully at home on Friday, October 16, 2020, after a long and courageous battle with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Richard “Dick” McConnell of Riceville, Ontario, aged 84 years. Beloved husband of Kim McConnell (nee Khoo). Loving father of Richard (Jennifer) and Ginette Walker (Jaime). Cherished grandfather of Cameron and Abbie. Dear brother of Billy (Ann), Helen and Janette Forbes (John). Predeceased by his parents William (“Bill”) and Helen McConnell (nee Donaldson).
From an early age growing up in Clydebank, Scotland, Dick had a lifelong love of “speed machines”. His younger years were spent tinkering with and tearing around the Scottish countryside on his Velocette motorcycle and Triumph Spitfire roadster; this passion led him to enlisting with the Royal Air Force as an aircraft mechanic working on supersonic fighter jets. In this role, Dick was stationed at RAF bases abroad in Bahrain and then Kuala Lumpur, where he met his future wife Kim Lian. After returning to the UK and completing his military service, Dick and Kim emigrated to Ottawa, Canada, where Dick joined aerial mapping and survey company Kenting Aviation. Dick was not given much opportunity to get acclimatized to Canadian winters, with Kenting assigning him to support aerial survey aircraft in Nigeria and Algeria for his first few years with the company. After returning to and travelling throughout Canada with Kenting, Dick, then a father of two young children, left travelling life to join Transport Canada’s Aircraft Services Directorate (ASD), where he worked for 22 years servicing Government of Canada aircraft from ASD’s hangar at Ottawa International Airport until his retirement in 2003.
Throughout his life, Dick remained an avid fan of motorsports, where there was an absolute understanding that Formula 1 Sundays were sancrosanct and where British race car drivers like Jackie Stewart, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill and Jenson Button reigned supreme. With the emergence of personal computers in the 1980s, Dick developed an interest in home computing and graphic design, working on small-scale desktop publishing projects as a hobby for non-profit and volunteer groups and transferring his love of fast motorcycles and cars to fast computer systems. In retirement, Dick’s love of dogs led Dick and Kim to welcome their pride and joy Moragh (“Mo”), their West Highland Terrier who served as faithful companion, walking partner and lap dog for many years until Moragh’s passing in 2018. And to his final days, Dick remained a proud car lover, continuing to keep his 2002 Subaru Impreza Sport that he maintained religiously until the week before he passed.
In light of the pandemic, a private service will be held at Munro & Morris Funeral Homes, 20 Main St. South, Maxville (613-527-2898) on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 at 1PM. As expressions of sympathy, Memorial Donations may be sent to the Canadian Lung Association. As a Memorial to Dick, a tree will be planted in a memory woods. A tree grows – memories live.
From an early age growing up in Clydebank, Scotland, Dick had a lifelong love of “speed machines”. His younger years were spent tinkering with and tearing around the Scottish countryside on his Velocette motorcycle and Triumph Spitfire roadster; this passion led him to enlisting with the Royal Air Force as an aircraft mechanic working on supersonic fighter jets. In this role, Dick was stationed at RAF bases abroad in Bahrain and then Kuala Lumpur, where he met his future wife Kim Lian. After returning to the UK and completing his military service, Dick and Kim emigrated to Ottawa, Canada, where Dick joined aerial mapping and survey company Kenting Aviation. Dick was not given much opportunity to get acclimatized to Canadian winters, with Kenting assigning him to support aerial survey aircraft in Nigeria and Algeria for his first few years with the company. After returning to and travelling throughout Canada with Kenting, Dick, then a father of two young children, left travelling life to join Transport Canada’s Aircraft Services Directorate (ASD), where he worked for 22 years servicing Government of Canada aircraft from ASD’s hangar at Ottawa International Airport until his retirement in 2003.
Throughout his life, Dick remained an avid fan of motorsports, where there was an absolute understanding that Formula 1 Sundays were sancrosanct and where British race car drivers like Jackie Stewart, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill and Jenson Button reigned supreme. With the emergence of personal computers in the 1980s, Dick developed an interest in home computing and graphic design, working on small-scale desktop publishing projects as a hobby for non-profit and volunteer groups and transferring his love of fast motorcycles and cars to fast computer systems. In retirement, Dick’s love of dogs led Dick and Kim to welcome their pride and joy Moragh (“Mo”), their West Highland Terrier who served as faithful companion, walking partner and lap dog for many years until Moragh’s passing in 2018. And to his final days, Dick remained a proud car lover, continuing to keep his 2002 Subaru Impreza Sport that he maintained religiously until the week before he passed.
In light of the pandemic, a private service will be held at Munro & Morris Funeral Homes, 20 Main St. South, Maxville (613-527-2898) on Wednesday, October 21, 2020 at 1PM. As expressions of sympathy, Memorial Donations may be sent to the Canadian Lung Association. As a Memorial to Dick, a tree will be planted in a memory woods. A tree grows – memories live.