Pamela Connolly

After a brief illness, Pamela Smith Connolly, 69, passed away comfortably on March 6, 2015. Born in 1946 outside of Kansas City, MO, Pam was the daughter of St. Joseph, MO natives and lifelong residents Mr. and Mrs. John Townsend Smith, Sr. Growing up, Pam's favorite activities included swimming at the local country club, cooking in her parents' kitchen, or creating artwork in her bedroom. Pam attended high school at the Masters School of Dobbs Ferry, NY and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1968 from Scripps College of Claremont, CA. During her time at Scripps, Pam was active in the theatre arts, dance, and art. Through the theatre, she also met her future husband, Michael S. Connolly, Sr., whom she wed in 1968. In 1980, she earned her Masters of Arts in Drama from San Diego State University. Also that year, Pam and her husband began a very successful run as operators of the Old Town Opera House (now the Old Town Theatre). During their four-year term overseeing the theatre, they produced numerous profitable stage productions and saw many future stars grace its stage. At the end of 1980, Pam joined her husband working with the Holiday Bowl. For over ten years, she helped organize the Bowl's annual Poinsettia Ball, which benefitted local area charities. For 32 years, Pam taught theatre arts and humanities at various colleges and universities, including Scripps College, the University of San Diego, San Diego Mesa College, San Diego State University, and Cuyamaca College. She spent 17 years at USD, where she not only taught a full load of theatre arts classes each semester, but also directed and designed at least two stage productions each year. While at Cuyamaca, she was awarded the 1996-1997 Rainbow Award for her dedication to the school's students and served on the school's Accreditation Task Force in 1998. In addition to her devotion to the theatre and teaching, religion was a priority to Pam. During more than 30 years attending St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, she assisted as a chalice bearer, reader, deacon, acolyte, and acolyte instructor. The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego also benefitted from Pam's generosity; from 1989 until 2005, she served as the diocesan historiographer and was a member of the diocesan governing body for nine years. Pam was involved with the Boy Scouts of America, beginning with Troop 958 in San Diego's Kensington neighborhood in the 1980s and in the 2000s with Troop 319, which was organized at St. Andrew's. During more than 35 years with BSA, Pam served as a chaplain, a mentor for the Religious Award, an assistant scout master, and the Chartered Organization Representative. For her work, the San Diego- Imperial Council awarded her the Order of Merit in 1990; in 1993, the Council presented her with BSA's highest volunteer honor, the Silver Beaver Award, for her distinguished service to youth. Philanthropy was imperative to Pam, as well. The protection and conservation of the Anza-Borrego Desert led her to the Anza-Borrego Foundation, the official nonprofit partner of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, where she was a trustee from 1990 through 2001. In 1997, Pam and a few of her friends from the Claremont Colleges launched the Jesse Swan Scholarship. The endowed scholarship is awarded to a junior or senior showing promise in theatrical arts on a rotating basis at Scipps, Claremont McKenna, Harvey Mudd, and Pitzer Colleges. More recently, Pam worked to preserve the history of her hometown, St. Joseph. Since 2010, she donated hundreds of priceless historical artifacts of silver, crystal, art, furniture, and Native American pieces to the city's Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art and Wyeth-Tootle Mansion. Of course, Pam was so much more. Anyone who knew Pam knew she loved cooking. In the 1960s and 1970s, Pam won over two hundred cooking awards at the Los Angeles County and San Diego County Fairs. When her son left for college, Pam wrote her first and only cookbook, What Do You Say to A Naked Icebox?: A Cookbook for College Students and Other Kitchen Virgins, publishing it in 1997. Thousands of her former students, fellow church parishioners, Boy Scouts, and friends could testify to how skilled she was in the kitchen. Additionally, Pam was a prolific artist, completing hundreds of still lives in multiple media, including oil and watercolor. Pam, who also conquered cancer more than once, is survived by her loving husband, Michael S. Connolly, Sr.; and her children, Michael, Jr. and Elizabeth. Pam's final resting place will be at Miramar National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, Pam requested that donations be made in her name to the American Cancer Society or Ronald McDonald House. Services will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2015, at 10:30 AM at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, 4816 Glen Street in La Mesa.