June Powers McConnell

McConnell, June Powers, 76 of Springfield, passed on to her heavenly home Monday, February 5th, 2024 at Hospice House of Dayton. 

June was born seven minutes after her identical twin sister, Jane, on October 20, 1947, in Springfield, Ohio to the late Joan (Powers) Cappelli. She graduated from Shawnee High School in 1965, after which she and her twin briefly worked in the mailroom at the FBI in Washington, D.C. June earned her Bachelor of Science from the New Mexico School of Mining and Engineering and her Master of Science in Biology from Wright State University. Applying her analytical mind and education, she then embarked upon a 40-year career at Andritz Sprout-Bauer. A pioneer in STEM, June was one of very few women in the lab before it was common. 

While working at Andritz, June met the love of her life, John “Jay” McConnell. After many years of dating, they married on September 12, 1980. They lived, worked, laughed, and loved together every day for decades, until Jay’s death in 2018. They had one daughter, Mollie Anne, born in 1982. June, Jay, and Mollie were a close-knit family, their relationships rooted in laughter and love. During her breast cancer diagnosis and treatment in 2009, Jay never left June’s side. They emerged from it with an even stronger marriage. The McConnells also loved dogs and throughout their 37-year marriage they always had two. 

June loved her family deeply. Her bond with her identical twin sister Jane was beyond comprehension. They often finished each other’s sentences, knew instantly what the other twin was feeling, arrived at events wearing the same outfit, and shared countless inside jokes. June and Jane, along with their mother Joan, had a loving bond admired by many. 

Over the years June traveled across the country and the globe with her mother, sister, husband, daughter, niece, and friends to destinations such as Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Scotland, San Francisco, Houston, New Orleans, Florida, Savannah, Steamboat Springs, and a beloved semiannual shopping trip to Chicago. June also made a point to be present for milestones in the lives of her nieces, nephews, and other family members near and far. 

June's love of music was legendary – she attended many concerts and amassed an impressive collection of vinyl, CDs, and countless playlists ranging from R&B, soul, blues, and classic rock to pop and country. Her love of music was never confined by any one genre or convention. Steppenwolf, Led Zeppelin, and Janis Joplin were all staples on the Christmas Eve playlist!

June was a voracious reader (a passion she passed on to Mollie) and an active member of her decades-long, monthly Book Club. She enjoyed the company (and sangria) as much as the book discussions. June also enjoyed the restaurant scene in Columbus. A “Saturday Supper Club” created by family and friends allowed her to delight in her favorite places surrounded by love and laughter. She loved antiques, had a flair for home decor, and was known for her impeccable style. Also known for her selfless generosity, June donated to every environmental and veterans charity under the sun, resulting in more mail than any one person should ever receive. Above all, June’s sense of humor made her fast friends with anyone. During her final days, many of those friends as well as her devoted family were by her side, sharing stories, laughing, listening to her favorite songs, and covering her in prayer and love. 

 June will be remembered for her boundless love and devotion to her family and friends, generosity, elegant style, and fantastic sense of humor. 

June was preceded in death by her mother, Joan (Powers) Cappelli, and her husband, John “Jay” McConnell. She is survived by her twin sister, Jane (Larry) Baker of Belle Center, and her daughter, Mollie McConnell of Columbus. Mollie lovingly and tirelessly cared for her mother during her five-year-long cancer journey. June was especially close with her twin sister’s children, Melanie (Nicholas) DiFeo of Powell, and Alex (Michelle) Baker of Sleepy Hollow, NY. June will be dearly missed by many other nieces, nephews, and cousins. She also had a circle of close friends who were particularly supportive during the last five years: Peg Haemmerle, Suzy Turner, Carol Hirtzinger, Jay Free and Carol Fugate, Jackie Holden, Gretchen Hicks, and Mike and Nancy Adams.  

The family will hold a private memorial in celebration of June’s life. Memorial donations may be made in her honor to Ohio’s Hospice or MMORE for Multiple Myeloma Research Fund at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center.