Warren "Mac"" Harding McConnell

With great sadness our family must tell of our fathers passing. Warren Harding McConnell passed With great sadness our family announces the passing of Warren H McConnell aka(Mac) on September 29 2020. He was 99.5 years old Born to Lucina and Mark McConnell on their farm in Hershey Nebraska, he lived his life to the fullest with his wife Elaine McConnell and his children, Susan Corbett, Mark McConnell and Matt McConnell all which survive him with his 9 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren. After leaving Nebraska he joined the US NAVY and was awarded a "Mustang" officer status where he learned to fly, his passion as a kid, and wound up assigned to duty at Jacksonville Naval Air Station to instruct and fly the PBY-Catalina on patrols on the east coast of the US looking for German submarines. During that time he met his future wife Elaine McConnell and married her in 1946 to spend 70 years of their lives together. In the 50's while remaining in the Naval Reserve, he began his career with the Internal Revenue Service in the Alcohol Tobacco Tax Division ( now the ATF) as a revenuer that chased down bootleggers and brought them to justice for illegal moonshine operations in southern Georgia and northern Florida. His stories were famous from that time. .In 1961 he moved his family from Jacksonville Florida to Springfield Virginia to continue his career with the ATF until he resigned as Assistant to the Director in 1976-77. His accomplishments were many and he also ended his career in the USN as a Lt. Commander working in the Naval Intelligence Department. After his service to his government and his country he continue to work supporting his wife Elaine McConnell in her passion for children, helping her found Accotink Academy in 1964, an educational institution that still serves the public school systems today as a pre-school and private school for emotionally disturbed students. He and Elaine continued their educational dedication by purchasing a farm in Stanley Virginia as a residential facility for boys and girls that needed an alternative to public school placement. Rivers Bend Ranch still is in operation today as a guest facility for the public to enjoy the wonderful vistas and peacefulness of the Shenandoah Valley. His constant support for his wife Elaine during her 24 years of serving Fairfax County as a Supervisor, contributed to their success as leaders in the Springfield community. He will be missed by all and always had a smile and a story to tell. He will be interned at Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors when they can received him and laid to rest next to his beloved wife Elaine N. McConnell Due to Covid -19 restrictions, a memorial service will be held at a later time.