Joseph McConnell

Joseph Columbus McConnell of Orlando, Florida, age 97, passed away peacefully on May 14, 2025, in Oviedo, Florida.

Joe was a native Floridian, born December 30, 1927, in Bowling Green, Florida, grew up in Avon Park, Florida with his parents, Leonidas & Lela (Bryan) McConnell along with his five siblings, Mae Grace (Correll), Leonidas John, Jr. (Junior), Ruby Etta (Lanier), Billy Gene, and James Wayne.

Joe served in the U.S. Army during World War II, got home in 1949, met and married the love of his life, Romona Shepard in 1950 and was married for 64 years until she passed in 2014. They moved to Orlando in 1951, where Joe first worked in surveying/engineering out at the McCoy Airforce base (now Orlando International Airport) and then got a job at Southern Bell Telephone until he retired in 1988 after 37 years.

Joe always had a smile on his face and had a great sense of humor. He was a strong, loving, caring, giving (would help anyone), hard worker (able to fix anything), loving, and faithful husband, father and grandfather. Joe had his priorities right, always finding time to spend with his family and he enjoyed life with a love for fishing and shrimping. He also loved spending time with his grandchildren, taking them to the campground and teaching them to fish.

Joe was preceded in death by his loving wife Romona in 2014. He is survived by his daughter Joan Diller (McConnell), son Bryan McConnell, daughter-in-law Cheryl McConnell, granddaughters Ashley Diller and Christina McConnell, great granddaughters Star and Serenity, step grandson Daniel Baldwin, step great-granddaughters, Eva and Olivia, multiple nieces and nephews, and great nieces and nephews.

Public visitation and viewing will be held on May 22, 2025, between 5 and 7 pm and a memorial service will be held on May 23, 2025, at 10 am at Carey Hand Colonial Funeral Home, 2811 Curry Ford Road, Orlando, FL 32806. An internment will immediately follow at Greenwood Cemetery, 1603 Greenwood Street, Orlando, Florida.