Thomas McConnell

Thomas Otto (Tom) McConnell passed away July 1, 2021 at age 90. He was born in Indianapolis, IN. on December 5, 1930, to Sam A. and Hazel E. (Sisco) McConnell. He was predeceased by parents as well as brothers, Col. Daniel F. McConnell, USMC (ret) and Sam A. McConnell, II, and half- brother, Richard L. Cawley. He is survived by his loving wife, Joy (Joyce Ann (Craig) McConnell, step-daughter, Jeannie E. Syler (partner Bev Yoap), and several nieces and nephews.

The family moved to West Lafayette, IN. in 1940, where Tom graduated from WL High School in 1948. He attended Purdue University under an NROTC scholarship, graduating in 1952 with a B.S. in Business-Economics. While at Purdue, he was a member of Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity and earned spending money by playing trumpet in a ten-piece dance orchestra. Upon graduation, he was commissioned ENSIGN In the U.S. Navy and assigned to the attack transport, USS Renville, APA 227 as Deck and Boat Officer. His ship ferried troops between Japan and Korea until the end of the Korean War. In 1954, he was assigned to the US Naval Academy as instructor of Economics and Government.

Following release from active duty in 1956, Tom moved to Washington, D.C. and completed a Master’s Degree in Statistics in 1958. He was employed as Analytical Statistician for the Federal Reserve before joining Southern Railway in 1957. He remained in active reserves for another nine years, and as LCDR was Commanding Officer of a Naval Reserve Security Group at Alexandria, Virginia in 1964-65.

While at Southern, he coordinated the development and installation of the first centralized billing and collection system in the railroad industry and transferred to Atlanta to become Director of that operation. In 1981, he was recruited by Seaboard System RR to head the Revenue Accounting Department. He retired as Vice President from CSX after completing the merger of Seaboard/Chessie System Accounting Departments in 1987, and after thirty-one years in the railroad industry.

While in Atlanta, Tom earned MBA and PhD Degrees from Georgia State University. After retirement, he conducted business seminars throughout the U.S., Canada, and Australia, and consulted with railroads in South Africa and New Zealand. In 1990, he became Director of Graduate Business Programs at Jacksonville University and retired from that position in 1997.

Tom was active in Sports Car Racing. Licensed a National Chief Steward by the Sports Car Club of America, he officiated at road races throughout the southeast on week-ends, and was the SCCA Executive Steward of the Southeast for two years. He also held a Private Pilot License.

Tom was a long-time resident and member of the Deerwood Country Club. He was an avid golfer, having shot his age several times and had five holes in one. Tom served on a number of committees and was the first to be elected President of both Board of Directors of the Community organization (DIA) and the Country Club itself.

Tom enjoyed spending time with his family, sharing stories from his past and his many travels. He was loving, quick- witted, charismatic, never met a stranger and will be missed by all who knew him.

Tom McConnell is a member of the Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, 7500 Southside Blvd., Jacksonville, FL. 32256,