The Council of Bishops regrets to announce the death of Bishop Calvin D. McConnell, a retired bishop of The United Methodist Church, having served from 1980-1996. He died on November 28, 2023, at Willamette View Retirement Community in Portland, Oregon. He and his wife Velma lived there since 2002.
Bishop Calvin McConnell
Council of Bishops Photo
Bishop McConnell was born in Monte Vista, Colorado on December 3, 1928, to Roy, Sr. and Leota and was the youngest of five siblings. Raised on the family farm, he attended the Sargent Consolidated School all twelve years. In his own words, he “couldn’t get off the farm fast enough,” an ambition which led to degrees from the University of Denver and the Iliff School of Theology, later culminating in a master’s in sacred theology from Andover Newton Theological School in 1967.
Bishop Glen R. Phillips ordained him deacon and elder in the Rocky Mountain Annual Conference. He later transferred to the California-Nevada Conference and served in Williams, CA, and later as minister to youth at First United Methodist Church in Palo Alto and as director of the Wesley Foundation at Stanford University.
Subsequently, he transferred to the Oregon-Idaho Conference, serving as university chaplain and assistant professor of religion at Willamette University, before returning to his home conference and serving churches in Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs. He was a General Conference delegate in 1976 and 1980.
The Western Jurisdiction elected Calvin McConnell to the episcopacy in 1980 and assigned him to the Portland Area. In 1988 he was assigned to the Seattle Area. In his active episcopacy he served as president of The Upper Room, and was on the organizing advisory board of the Academy for Spiritual Formation, and a member of the editorial board of "WEAVINGS: A Journal of the Christian Spiritual Life."
He was president of the General Commission on Religion and Race, and of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. He served as a trustee of Willamette University, the University of Puget Sound and UMC-related Iliff School of Theology.
In 1992 he was named by Iliff as its fifth Distinguished Alumnus. He also holds honorary degrees from Rust College and University of Puget Sound. In retirement he was a founding member of the ecumenical extension seminary, Northwest House of Theological Studies in Salem, Oregon, where he taught for two years in the formation and practice of spirituality. He retired from the episcopacy in 1996.
Bishop McConnell loved his life in the church and he leaves a legacy of faith, compassion, and advocacy for social justice. He was an insightful and compassionate leader, an engaging speaker, and a friend and mentor to many.
For 34 years he was married to Dr. Mary McConnell who died in 1986; they had two sons, David McConnell and Mark McConnell. Cal and Velma Duell were married in 1988 and have between them six sons, their spouses, eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.
Bishop McConnell is survived by his wife Velma, their sons, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and his brother, Taylor McConnell.
Gifts in honor of Bishop McConnell may be given to the Calvin McConnell Scholarship Fund at Iliff School of Theology, 2323 E Iliff Ave, Denver, Colorado, 80210. Iliff’s donation website is http://weblink.donorperfect.com/iliffgiving.
A memorial service will be held at First United Methodist Church in Portland in the near future.
The Rev. Dr. Maidstone Mulenga serves as communications director for the Council of Bishops.