Alan McConnell

Alan “Mac” Dale McConnell, 73, of Rockwall, Texas, passed away peacefully on September 15, 2025, after a long and courageous battle with pulmonary fibrosis.

Mac was born on November 28, 1951, in Lawrence, Kansas, to the late Jim and Alice McConnell. Because of his father’s work, his family moved often, and Mac eventually graduated from Lincoln Northeast High School in 1970, where he participated in band and swimming. As soon as he graduated, he and a friend took off to work at the Grand Canyon, a memory he talked about often. For the next few years he dabbled in classes at the University of Nebraska and mastered bowling, built houses, and did odd jobs.

Mac then enlisted in the United States Army, where he proudly served approximately “five years, two months, and twenty-two days,” as he liked to recall. He achieved the rank of SP5, worked as a mechanic and parts clerk, and spent part of his service stationed in Korea.
After his service, Mac met Mary Jo Schmidt in Central City, Nebraska. They married after just nine months and welcomed their first daughter, Mandie. When Mandie was two, the family moved to Cedar Park, Texas, where Mac began his career at Motorola as a computer programmer. Largely self-taught, he mastered programming through his love of reading and problem-solving. During this time, their sons Jeff and Tim joined the family. He took great joy in supporting his children’s interests, from baseball and football to countless hours on the softball field, and even encouraged their creativity through acting and drawing classes.

After 17 years at Motorola, Mac accepted a position with a start-up company, Intrinsity, before eventually returning to Freescale (Motorola), where he worked until his retirement. He also spent time at St. Mary’s, providing technical support for the school.
In 2007, Mac met Julie Clifton, who would become his cherished wife. They married in November 2008 and made their home in Taylor, Texas. Together, they enjoyed traveling in their RV, golfing, and spending precious time with grandchildren.

Mac valued education and continued learning throughout his life, earning an associate degree in Electronic Technology from Central Community College in Hastings, Nebraska, in 1982, and later completing another associate degree in Computer Networking and Systems Administration Technology from Texas State Technical College in 2017.

Mac will be remembered for his sharp wit, dry sense of humor, creativity, intelligence, and making sure nothing he did was less than perfection even if it took 5 times longer than it should. He loved reading, hunting, fishing, golfing, woodworking, solving puzzles, teaching and spending time with his grandchildren.

He is survived by his loving wife, Julie McConnell of Rockwall, Texas; his children, Mandie (Josh) Hill of La Marque, Texas, Jeff McConnell of Austin, Texas, and Tim McConnell of Austin, Texas; his stepchildren, Kari (Armando) Vigil of Rockwall, Texas, and Brandon (Shawna) Clifton of Nashua, New Hampshire; his grandchildren, Shealy, Abdu, Zay, Jackson, Kadyn, Fitzgerald, Theodore, and Gemmaline; and his siblings, Lynn (Ken) McConnell of Ingleburn, Australia, Judy (Bruce) King of Lincoln, Nebraska, David (Becky) McConnell of Omaha, Nebraska, and Robin (Sandie) McConnell of Lincoln, Nebraska. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jim and Alice McConnell.

Service Information
A graveside service will be held on October 11, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at Pierce Chapel Cemetery, followed by a reception at Pierce Chapel Church in Clarks, Nebraska.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/pulfibfou/.

Slow at everything, quick with a joke, always here where it mattered most—Mac was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and brother. He will be missed so deeply, and there is now a hole in our family. You will be forever in our hearts.