Thomas J. McConnell, “TJ”, 93, passed away on Monday, April 14, 2025, in Texarkana, Texas. Thomas was born on June 28, 1931, to Thomas and Helen McConnell in Bronx, New York. He spent the first 18 years of his life growing up in New York City. He attended PS 94, PS 80, and De Witt Clinton High School.
Memories were many, but the one’s he talked about were where he was and what he was doing when, at 10 years of age, he found out about the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the great depression of the 30’s and how the family made it through this period in time, when his family, and his uncles’ family all moved into their grandparents house on Tyron Ave. for the duration, and finally the fact that he played one basketball game in the original Madison Square Garden, which at the time was the mecca of basketball in the USA, to which he would say, he played lousy.
In 1949, he left, the first person in his family to cross the Hudson River, to attend Bowling Green State University in Ohio. Three years later, he graduated early by attending summer school, got married to Maryhelen, and began looking for a job. He answered a blank ad in the Toledo Blade. It resulted in the Cooper Tire and Rubber Company, and they hired him as an industrial engineer.
He and his wife lived in Bowling Green, with the birth of their first son, Bruce Thomas, due soon. After some time, they moved to Findlay, the hometown of Cooper Tire.
Things were going well when Uncle Sam called at the end of his first year at Cooper. Thomas was in the Army from January 1955 to December 1956. James Daniel, their second son, was born in July. Soon after, he was shipped to Bamberg, Germany. Eventually, Maryhelen and the two boys joined TJ in Germany and lived on the German Economy until December 1956. TJ was discharged on Christmas Eve, 1956.
They eventually made their way back to Findlay, where TJ resumed his position with Cooper Tire and resumed the expansion of their family with the arrival of Amy.
Near the end of the decade, Thomas was given the assignment to compile an estimate for a new tire plant, with equipment requirements, layout, and cost estimates for a location yet to be determined. This was completed with the help and consultation of many other employees.
Thomas accepted the position of Human Relations Manager, and the family arrived in Texarkana, Arkansas, in January 1964, the site of the new plant. The family bought a piece of land in Bowie County, Texas, and completed house construction in 1965, where Thomas remained for the rest of his life.
Thomas held the positions of Human Relations Manager, Production Manager, and his last year before retirement, Plant Manager. He retired in February 1989 after a 35-year career with Cooper Tire and Rubber Company.
Thomas was preceded in death by his wife, Maryhelen McConnell; parents and one grandchild, Jason McConnell. He is survived by two sons, Bruce (Kathy) McConnell, Jim (Becki) McConnell, and a daughter, Amy (Scott) Myers. Five grandchildren, Kristina (Cody) Eaves, Brian (Christy) Myers, Jordan (Tim) Connors, Anna McConnell, and Tayler Davis, and eleven great-great-grandchildren.
His family wishes to thank and acknowledge the love and incredible care given to him by Stacy Wiltshire.
Family will have a service at a later date.
