Thomas "Buck" Thurmon McConnell, Jr., 86, of Springfield, MO went to be with his Heavenly Father Wednesday, June 15, 2016.

Tom was born July 17, 1929 in Springfield, Mo to Thomas T. and Mary E. (Metzger) McConnell. He graduated from St. Agnes High School in 1949 and attended Southwest Missouri State University and then Missouri University for a short while before being inducted into the U.S. Army. In 1951, Tom served five months in Korea in the 7th Infantry division. He was a driver with the anti-aircraft battalion.

When Tom returned to Springfield, he assisted his father with the family dairy farm in Ebenezer, MO. Tom later became a machinist and retired in 1994 from Tuthill factory in Springfield.

On September 23, 1961, he married Juanita Carol Snapp of Springfield.

Tom enjoyed animals, tinkering with metal lathes in his home machine shop, and spending time with his family.

Tom is survived by his beloved wife of 54 years, Juanita Carol McConnell; his son, Clinton Aaron and his wife Emily Christine Viehland-McConnell of Springfield; grand-daughter, Hanna Marie McConnell and three step-grandsons, Samuel Charles, Henry David and Jackson Edward Viehland; also several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Mary and his two sisters Mary Elizabeth (McConnell) Jeffries of Springfield and Virginia Lee (McConnell) Harrison of Ft. Smith, Arkansas.

A celebration of his life will be held Saturday, June 18 at 10:00 AM in Gorman-Scharpf Brentwood Chapel with The Reverend Janet Given officiating. Visitation will be held on Friday from 5:00 to 7:00 PM in the funeral home.