McCONNELL, NELSON

Posted by cathy gowdy on Sunday, July 20, 2008 at 07:28:48 :

Independent Journal
Wednesday, August 26, 1953
Page 11

Mrs. G. R. McConnell, 29, Former Scout Exec, Dies

Mrs. Virginia McConnell, who retired this month after seven years as field director of the Marin Council of the Girl Scouts of America, died suddenly at 7 a.m. today in a San Francisco hospital.

She is survived by her husband, George R. McConnell, who was appointed assistant to the superintendent of the San Anselmo, Ross and Fairfax confederated schools.

Mrs. McConnell, who was a native of Ontario, Calif., is also survived by her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Walter C. Nelson and her sister, Margaret Nelson, all of Ontario.

Mrs. McConnell died as a result of complications resulting from a major surgical operation, according to Keaton’s Mortuary of San Rafael, which is handling funeral arrangements. She underwent surgery yesterday.

Mrs. McConnell came to Marin county in January, 1946, to assume the position of field director with the Marin Girl Scout council. The post is one of the two full-time paid executive positions on the Marin Girl Scout organization. She had graduated from the University of California in June of the previous year.

While working as field director, Mrs. McConnell met and married McConnell, who was then a field director of the Marin Boy Scouts. They lived at 1355 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, San Anselmo, but planned to move to Mill Valley where McConnell has his new office.

Mrs. McConnell was active in Girl Scout day camp work every summer since she came to Marin. She was director of the Marin camp until this summer, when the program was expanded and she became coordinator of the five new Marin camps.

Besides coordinating the five day camps this summer, she directed the Woodacre camp personally. Her work as field director acquainted her with many parents, Girl Scout executives and youngsters in Marin. She worked personally with troops and supervised the training of leaders.

“She was very thorough, but had a way of making everybody enjoy working with her,” said Mrs. Clara Anderson, a member of the board of directors of the Marin Girl Scout Council. “She always gave more than eight hours a day to scouting,” she said.

Speaking for all her friends in and out of Girl Scout work, Mrs. Anderson said, “Her death was a great shock and a great loss to all of us as her friends as well as to Girl Scouting.”

Funeral services will be held Friday at 10 a.m. at Keaton’s Mortuary in San Rafael. Inurnment will be private.