Bonnie Rachel Masslich McConnell, 92

Bonnie Rachel Masslich McConnell was born on June 12, 1930, in Highland Park, Ill., and grew up in Woodstock. She passed away peacefully at home on April 17, 2023.

She attended Knox College before finishing her bachelor’s degree in elementary education at the University of Illinois. She married David A. McConnell and they settled in East Dundee, Ill. She and Dave had a true partnership: together they raised their family, worked to build a veterinary practice, and enjoyed their many interests, especially enjoying a meal with loved ones, travel, and land stewardship. 

Everybody called her Bonnie. The perfect hostess, for decades her home was the center of family reunions for Independence Day, outdoor Thanksgiving, and countless gatherings with family and friends. She wore swim goggles to cut onions. She couldn’t pass through a tunnel without hooting to hear it echo. She laughed at our jokes. She was a musician with perfect pitch who could play a tune on the piano upon request or after hearing it on the radio. Brilliant and accomplished, she was an avid birdwatcher, an animal lover, a steadfast advocate for the environment, an amazing cook, and an extraordinary parent. 

She was preceded in death by Dave, her husband and the love of her life, and her daughter Ellen. She will be missed by a lifetime of devoted and heartbroken friends and family, including her brother, Nob (Carol) Masslich; daughter, Martha McConnell; son, Douglas (Susan) McConnell; and eight grandchildren, Bennett (Emily) and Brenten Blakeman; Rachel (David) Bush Low and Christopher Bush; and Mack, Billy, Gordy, and Ashley McConnell.

Visitation will be at 2 p.m. followed by a service at 3 p.m. on June 20, 2023, at the First Congregational Church, 900 S. Eighth St., West Dundee. If you would like to make a donation in Bonnie’s memory, please consider the following:

Dr. David & Bonnie McConnell Endowment Fund awards veterinary scholarships 

Library Springs Natural Area, Dundee Township. TheConservationFoundation>Donate. To earmark your donation for Library Springs in memory of Bonnie, send an email to friendsofdundeenaturalareas@gmail.com

ALongSwim.org>Donate, a nonprofit that raises money for ALS research