Richard Dale McConnell was born in Walla Walla Washington on July 31, 1936 and passed away suddenly in his home on February 22, 2013. Richard graduated from North Central High School in Spokane in 1954. He graduated from Washington State College in 1959 with a Bachelor’s of Art Degree in Social Work, while at WSC he was active with the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. He then received his Masters in Social Work from the University of Washington and an MBA from Pacific Lutheran University. He served active duty in the U.S. Army for 4 years and then spent the next 20+ years in the Army Reserves. He met the love of his life, Karen Ellen Gilbertson at a party in 1957. They fell in love and were married June 27, 1959. They celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary on June 27th, 2009 and celebrated 53 years together in June of 2012. Richard and Karen started their family in Spokane with the birth of their first son Jeff, after a brief stop in Bellingham they celebrated the birth of their second son Mark in Olympia. After a couple of years they settled in Bellevue, where they maintained the family home for the next 44 years. Richard retired from 20+ years of employment with the U.S. Federal Government where he worked to develop and implement programs that benefitted and protected children. He retired as the Region 10 Children’s Bureau Director in 1996. In retirement Richard continued to work with multiple local Children’s Agencies in a volunteer capacity, as well as serving on the boards of several of these same agencies. Richard was preceded in death by his mother Maureen Bates and Woodrow McConnell, his loving in-laws Helen and Arnold Gilbertson, and step brothers David and Douglas. He is survived by his wife Karen, sister Donna and half-brother Carl , sons Jeff and Mark, daughter in-law Terri, and the lights of his life, grandchildren Kaitlyn and Dillon. A memorial service will be held for Richard on March 14th at 1PM at the Bellevue First Congregational Church in Bellevue at 752 108th Ave NE, Bellevue. There will be a 2nd Military Service, including interment on March 15th promptly at 11:15AM at Tahoma National Cemetery, 18600 SE 240th Street, Kent. In lieu of flowers a donation may be made in Richard’s name to the charity of your choice. Arrangements made by Sunset Hills Funeral Home. Please sign the on-line guest book at WWW.SUNSETHILLSFUNERALHOME.COM. Richard Dale McConnell was born in Walla Walla Washington on July 31, 1936 and passed away suddenly in his home on February 22, 2013. Richard graduated from North Central High School in Spokane in 1954. He graduated from Washington State College in 1959 with a Bachelor’s of Art Degree in Social Work, while at WSC he was active with the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. He then received his Masters in Social Work from the University of Washington and an MBA from Pacific Lutheran University. He served active duty in the U.S. Army for 4 years and then spent the next 20+ years in the Army Reserves. He met the love of his life, Karen Ellen Gilbertson at a party in 1957. They fell in love and were married June 27, 1959. They celebrated their 50th Wedding Anniversary on June 27th, 2009 and celebrated 53 years together in June of 2012. Richard and Karen started their family in Spokane with the birth of their first son Jeff, after a brief stop in Bellingham they celebrated the birth of their second son Mark in Olympia. After a couple of years they settled in Bellevue, where they maintained the family home for the next 44 years. Richard retired from 20+ years of employment with the U.S. Federal Government where he worked to develop and implement programs that benefitted and protected children. He retired as the Region 10 Children’s Bureau Director in 1996. In retirement Richard continued to work with multiple local Children’s Agencies in a volunteer capacity, as well as serving on the boards of several of these same agencies. Richard was preceded in death by his mother Maureen Bates and Woodrow McConnell, his loving in-laws Helen and Arnold Gilbertson, and step brothers David and Douglas. He is survived by his wife Karen, sister Donna and half-brother Carl , sons Jeff and Mark, daughter in-law Terri, and the lights of his life, grandchildren Kaitlyn and Dillon. A memorial service will be held for Richard on March 14th at 1PM at the Bellevue First Congregational Church in Bellevue at 752 108th Ave NE, Bellevue. There will be a 2nd Military Service, including interment on March 15th promptly at 11:15AM at Tahoma National Cemetery, 18600 SE 240th Street, Kent. In lieu of flowers a donation may be made in Richard’s name to the charity of your choice. Arrangements made by Sunset Hills Funeral Home. Please sign the on-line guest book at WWW.SUNSETHILLSFUNERALHOME.COM.
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