Bruce Ellsworth McConnell's Obituary
The Reverend Bruce Ellsworth Mcconnell, 88, died at his residence in Portland OR on Wednesday, March 25th.Bruce was born December 6th, 1926 in Sioux City, Iowa to Harry and Irma Mconnell He lived his first ten years in his beloved South Dakota near Geddes. His was a farming family on those great plains.In 1937 the family moved from the flat, wide open lands to a place of green and water and mountains: Idaho. The family farming continued in Nampa where Bruce graduated high school.Bruce served in the Navy from 1944 to 1946. He graduated from the College of Idaho in 1950. He studied for his life's work at Iliff School of Theology in Denver, receiving his Master's degree in 1953.Later, in 1982, he earned a second Master's degree from Garret Evangelical Theological Seminary in Illinois. Bruce also holds an honorary doctorate from the College of Idaho.Bruce married the love of his life Doris Agenbroad, also of Nampa in September 1950.Bruce's first church appointment as a United Methodist minister was at Amity, OR. He presided over and held communities in his loving hands at John Day OR, Salem OR, and Beaverton OR. He then went on to give of his great intellect, care, and diplomacy to the United Methodist Annual Conference as district superintendent from 1975 to 1980.Next, a labor of love that was very close to his heart and upbringing: heading up the Small Church Center project while based in Filer Idaho from 1985 to 1988.In 1985, Bruce took an appointment with the U.M. church in La Grande OR. near the Wallowa mountains that he so loved.A very busy retirement then commenced with a move back to Eugene in 1992. The second phase of Bruce and Doris' retirement was their move to Willamette View Retirement Center in Portland in 2004.Bruce was an avid hiker, and nature was a huge part of his life.Bruce dearly loved baseball. Sports is where his mild manner would occasionally burst into a bit of hollering and rooting for his son by the football field or watching the Oregon Ducks with friends and family.He was a music lover - he sang beautifully and with choirs up until just last year and he loved jazz.Bruce is survived by his loving wife Doris of Portland OR, brother Warren Mcconnell of Colorado, daughters Mary Lynn Mcconnell and Marla Kay Mcconnell of Astoria OR, son Mark Mcconnell of Forest Grove OR and daughter Laura Carley of Goldendale WA, ten grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews and countless friends and colleagues.A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 2 at Oak Grove United Methodist church 14700 SE Rupert Dr Oak Grove OR at 2:00.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Camp and Retreat Ministries, attention administration assistant, 1505 SW 18th Ave, Portland OR 97201
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