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Adair Renfroe McConnell, 81, passed to his heavenly home on Tuesday, April 17, 2018, at Bridgewater Home. Adair was born in Oneonta, N.Y., on Aug. 11, 1936, to Rio Tucker and Carl McConnell. He was reared in the Bridgewater area.
After 35 years of teaching, he retired from Fairfax County Schools System. He then worked for AARP managing their website and teaching computer courses for senior citizens and others.
He was a music editor and served as organist and keyboardist at a variety of churches throughout Virginia. He was an active member, senior organist, and worship committee coordinator at Saint Stephen’s United Church of Christ in Harrisonburg.
He was mentor and teacher to many, always sharing his humor, kindness, and his almost limitless musical abilities with all. He was a friend to many and a stranger to few.
He is survived by his son, Robert McConnell, of Harrisonburg; his grandchildren, Madeleine and Ansley, and his former wife, Linda Lewis McConnell. He was predeceased by his parents and his brother, Edgar. http://www.dnronline.com/obituaries/adair-r-mcconnell/article_deab3e92-475f-11e8-b712-e371008798e2.html
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Steve Timberlake
I've always said Mr McConnell was the best teacher I ever had at any level. I was one of those students who enjoyed his French classes so much that when he announced in the spring of 1966 that he'd be teaching Russian I in the fall in addition to French IV I jumped at the chance to take it.
In addition to the instruction, he knew how to keep unruly teenagers interested: I won't forget the 13-second pep rallies, nor learning French songs accompanied by him on the autoharp.
He was a good teacher and a good man.
Arden Dean Elliott
Concur with Steve’s comment. Adair Renfroe McConnell was a true friend. He always wore a black suit with cape and carried a pumpkin on Halloween. He also taught an unofficial language - don’t recall what he called it, but spelling for a consonant was, “consonant + ‘u’ + consonant. Vowels stood as vowels. His favorite was “bong” = bub-o-nun-gug. I saw him several times after high school. He played piano at a small bar at intersection of Graham RD and Lee HWY.