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Show Wm. J. McConnell Dies Of Stroke, Funeral Held WvJliam Jehiel McConnell, 81, known to most of the older residents resi-dents of Cedar City as "Billy J. died at his home Sunday, May 11, following a stroke. A pioneer resident resi-dent of Cedar City Mr. McConnell was a prominent member of early day dramatic companies of Cedur City. Before the advent of machine tools fur shearing sheep Mr. McConnell won the title of champion shearer of southern Utah, when contests were held among the old "blade shearers". In his later life "Billy J." endeared himself to hundreds of local people by devoting himself to visiting f Hands confined to ttheir homes because of illness. He was born here September 14, 1865, a son of Henry H. and Elizabeth Eliza-beth McConnell. and has been a lifetime resident. He married Ada Lambeth of Cedar City on January 24, 1888 They celebrated their golden gold-en wedding anniversary last June He was one of the founders of the Branch Agricultural college here and did much of the plastering of the original buildings. He had been engaged in the building business until his retirement several years ago. Survivors Include his widow; two sons. Henry H. and Clifton McConnell, McCon-nell, Cedar City; a daughter, Jane McConnell. Cedar, City; a brother, Frank McConnell and u sister, Mrs. Robert W. Bulloch, both of Cedar City; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held In the First ward chapel Wednesday afternoon, after-noon, with Bishop Lehl M. Jones presiding. Speakers at the services were D. C. Dix and Samuel F. Leigh. Sentiments from tils neighbors were read by Mrs Winnie Urle, and brief remarks were made by Bishop Jones. Frank Van Cott was at the organ, or-gan, and the musical program Included In-cluded a vocal duet, "Whispering Hope", by Ray Cosslett and Wm. Macfarlane; a vocal solo, "Where Sweet Wild Roses Grow", by Myles Walker, and nn organ solo by Mr. Van Cott. Mrs. Beth Leigh was accompanist ac-companist for the vocal numbers. Invocation was by William Macfarlane, Mac-farlane, benediction by Charles R. Hunter, and dedication of the grave by Daniel Matheson. |