FF McConnell

1934 - 2011

Master electrician FF "Mac" McConnell left this Earth for a well-earned rest in heaven. He fought a long, valiant fight with four primary cancers and wanted friends to know how hard he tried to beat them. Mac lived Dylan Thomas' advice to "not go gentle into that good night ... but to "Rage, rage, against the dying of the light."
Mac was born to Fay F. McConnell and Eleanor Kerr on Jan. 2, 1934, on a ranch near Loveland, Colo. He grew up riding, hunting, fishing and working hard. At 18, he joined the Navy and spent four years as an electrician's mate, mostly on the USS Jason.
After his Navy service, Mac worked as an electrician on several large Colorado tunnel projects moving water through the mountains. In California, he spent several years working at an Atomics International experimental nuclear site. Then, after some years as a tramp electrician exploring the country moving from job to job, Mac opened McConnell Electric in Green River, Wyo. He was well-known for work in the oil patch and other industrial areas.
Arriving in Alaska in 1982, he went to work on the North Slope and later in Healy and Valdez. His last big job before retirement was as general electrical foreman on the AIS plant in Anchorage. He was a member of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1547.
Mac lived in Anchorage and Talkeetna before finally moving to Tok. On retirement, he returned to his early roots. His great joys were his dogs, camping at the fishwheel on the Copper River, hosting barbecues in his backyard, six-wheeling around the trails in the area and spending time at his cabin in Chicken.
After his marriage to Sally, he began tramping around the world, visiting the birthplace of his grandfather in Scotland, and of his grandmother in Ireland, most of Europe, Costa Rica and Mexico.
Despite eight years of illness, Mac never let his innate optimism or his Irish blarney fail him. His frequent hospitalizations left him with many new friends among the nurses at the hospital and the cancer center. Until falling ill, he could be found helping people with any kind of construction work, but especially making sure their electrical systems were safe.
An alcoholic, Mac was proud of his 36 years of sobriety and actively tried to help others fighting the same disease. Rough-talking, he was actually one of the kindest men around.
He is survived by his loving wife Sally; daughter Mary Ann Hilliard of Harrisonville, Mo.; sons and daughters-in-law, Joe and Denise McConnell of Anchorage and Kelly and Tammy Brown of Green River, Wyo.; nine grandchildren; one great-grandson; his sisters and brothers-in-law, Rita (CB) Barr and Mary (Les) Walker; sister Sharon Bailiff; sister-in-law Consuela McConnell; many nieces and nephews; and his beloved dog Angel.
A celebration of life will be held in Tok at a later date.
Arrangements were entrusted to Fairbanks Funeral Home.