Virgil Dean McConnell

Funeral Services for Virgil D. “Dean” McConnell, 94, Norfolk, will be 10:30 a.m., Monday, July 29, 2019 at the First United Methodist Church in Norfolk.  Reverend Bridget Gately will officiate. Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Home for Funerals on Norfolk Avenue. Graveside Services will be 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 30, 2019 at the Alma Cemetery in Alma, NE with military honors by the Nebraska National Guard Honor Guard and Alma American Legion Fay Cady Post #118. 

Mr. McConnell passed away Thursday, July 25, 2019 at Faith Regional Health Services in Norfolk.

Virgil Dean was born on April 6, 1925 in Huntley, NE to his parents Lawrence and Pearl (Willis) McConnell.  He grew up in Huntley and graduated from Huntley High School in 1942.  Dean received a B.S. degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 1950 and a M.A. degree from Kearney State College in 1960.  He also attended Oklahoma A & M College (now Oklahoma State University) while in the service and Wayne State College.  He served with the U.S. Army from July 1943 until September 1945.  He served with Co. L, 18th Infantry of the First Infantry Division (The Big Red One) in Europe during World War II with action through the Hurtgen Forest Campaign and the Battle of the Bulge.  Dean was awarded the Purple Heart, the Bronze Star, the Combat Infantry Badge, the European Theatre medal with two bronze stars, the Good Conduct Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. 

On June 1, 1946, Dean married Delphia Claiborne in Franklin, Nebraska.  The couple lived in Huntley until 1953, in Franklin until 1957, in Wayne until 1963 when they moved to Norfolk.  To this union, two children were born, Deanna and Donna Sue.

Dean farmed near Huntley until 1986 and taught Industrial Arts at the senior high level, 1 year at Huntley, 6 years at Wayne, then 27 years at Norfolk until he retired in 1990. 

He is survived by his wife of 73 years, Delphia, two daughters Deanna Kruger and Donna Sue Swonger, 6 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.

Dean was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Pearl, and sister Twyla, brother-in-law Henry Wessels, and son-in-law Lawrence Kruger.

 Service Information