Marguerite Mcconnell

Ms. Marguerite J. McConnell daughter of the late Rev. J. A. McConnell and the late Mrs. Agnes Lowery McConnell passed Thursday morning February 7, 2013, after a long illness at the White Plains Center for Nursing Care at the age of 100.

Ms. McConnell better known to us as “Ms.Mac” was born in Winnsboro, South Carolina on November 7, 1912. Mother McConnell attended public schools in Winnsboro and received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education and Child Care in 1933 from Morris College, Sumter, South Carolina.

She was baptized by her father, Pastor of Jerusalem Baptist Church in Hartsville, South Carolina. By the age of 12, she was playing the pipe organ and she would often remember and say, “My feet didn’t even touch the pedals.” She continued playing at her father’s church as the organist for Sunday devotionals until enrolling at Morris College. She also played at her graduation ceremony.

Mother McConnell taught at the elementary school level in Sumter for nearly 8 years before deciding to move to White Plains, New York in 1940. She joined Bethel Baptist Church on Christian Experience where she also served as a Girl Scouts Leader for Troop # 12. In 1959 she joined Union Baptist Church and in 1961 became the organist for the Missionary Chorus. This experience and dedication led her to organizing the Children’s Choir called the Rosebuds in 1978. In 1979 under the leadership of Reverend Robert Mason, the Rosebuds was later changed to the Union Buds.

A dedicated musician, she was faithfully present every Sunday for the 11:00 a.m. service to play for the children’s lesson. Ms. McConnell always felt her playing for this part of the service set the spiritual mood, “at a high tone”.

During this time she also served as a Sunday school teacher, worked with the Vacation Bible School, the New Members class and the Baptist Training Union group (BTU). Most of her teaching material for BTU was taken from the New National Baptist Hymnal. Ms. McConnell also provided lessons on character development for the Children’s Choir on the first Thursday of every month. She led discussions on such topics as patience, obedience, honoring parents, love, honesty, schoolwork, safety and making smart choices.

Marguerite’s parents were educators as well. Her father earned his Doctorate of Divinity and served as a professor and Dean of Theology at Morris College. Her mother was a Master Teacher and supervisor of 18 elementary school teachers. This foundation and example set by her parents helped Marguerite to establish the roots in her commitment to serving the Lord through the ministry of music; providing educational as well as spiritual guidance to children.

In June 25, 2005, after 44 years of service at the Union Baptist Church, Union saluted Ms. McConnell by having a grand 2-day retirement celebration. We celebrated her faithful service as a teacher, mentor and caregiver for the children of our Church family.

In the words of the Apostle Paul, “I have fought a good fight, I have kept the faith.” We can truthfully say of sister Marguerite J. McConnell, she kept faith in God until the end.

Marguerite J. McConnell was also preceded in death by two sisters, Mrs. Lois Titus of Gaffney, S.C.; Mrs. Williette Gardner of New York City; and one brother Augustus J. McConnell of Marion, S.C.

She leaves to cherish her memory her guardians, Deacon Thomas and Deaconess Pearl Moss; her Godchild Trustee Patricia Ann “Princess” Moss; nieces, nephews, God children and a host of relatives and friends. Also cherishing her fondest memories are about 500 children that passed through the Union Buds Children Choir.