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'Dog' remembered

BY JOHN D. HOMAN, THE SOUTHERN

Tuesday, May 6, 2008 11:30 PM CDT

MARION - The "Dog" would have been embarrassed with all the attention, but most certainly appreciative.

About 200 assorted family members and friends of Robert "Dog" Connell turned out Tuesday afternoon at Wilson-McReynolds Funeral Home in Marion to pay their last respects to a man described by Mayor Bob Butler as honest, dedicated and loyal.

After Tuesday's service, the funeral procession led by a city fire engine and host of police cars made its way to Rose Hill Cemetery. It was a fitting tribute to a man who placed the welfare of others above his own.

Connell, 79, died Friday from cancer. He served the city of Marion for 37 years as commissioner, most of that time supervising the water department. He was also chairman of the Republican Party in Williamson County for decades. His day job was with CIPS as a lineman and foreman. He was with the company for 43 years before retiring in 1990.

Connell was quite an athlete as a teen. In fact, he led the South Seven Conference in scoring in basketball his senior year and helped the Wildcats make an Elite 8 appearance in 1946.

It's his service to the community, however, that will be best remembered.

"Dog and I were pretty much in sync with most issues," said Butler, who served as one of the speakers at Tuesday's service. "We had the same values and were politically joined. We were both conservative, but he was a little more so than me. When it came to spending the city's money, it was like squeezing the head of a buffalo nickel until it cried."

Butler said Connell could be stubborn, but was "always fair" and would exhibit more patience for people than he could ever muster.

"Dog was a good man, a good commissioner, a good friend and good Republican," the mayor said. "And it doesn't get any better than that."

Connell's grandson, Doug, said his grandfather helped shape his morals.

"He taught me that first impressions mean a lot to everybody and did a good job of setting an example for all of us to live by. I hope I can mold myself after him."

The younger Connell said he also took note of how well his grandfather treated his grandmother, Patsy.

"He always treated her with the utmost respect and love."

Connell's son, Bobby, said the support his family has received from the community is "awesome" and words alone can't describe the feeling.

"My dad touched a lot of lives. If somebody would come by the house who was hungry, he'd feed you. If someone needed a place to stay, he'd let that person stay the night. He was a true man of the people."

john.homan@thesouthern.com / 351-5805