Bobby Daugherty McConnell, 91, peacefully passed away at home on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, with his wife of over 65 years, Charlotte, his son Kevin and daughter-in- law Deborah at his side. He was born in a cabin on the family tobacco farm in Alley Valley, Scott County, Virginia on March 19, 1931, to Beechard C. and Esther McConnell, the third of five children to survive to adulthood.

He graduated from Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, Tennessee with a degree in Chemistry, minoring in Math and Physics. After two years of active duty service in the U.S. Air Force he continued to work for the Air Force as a civilian in the Air Force Materials Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Fairborn, Ohio. From 1956-1966 he was a chemist in the Fluid and Lubricants Materials Branch, Nonmetallic Materials Division. From 1966 to 1990 he was a Materials Engineer, Technical Area Manager, and finally, Chief of the Nonstructural Materials (fluids, lubricants and elastomers) Branch, Nonmetallic Materials Division. From 1987-1990, he also supported the Advanced Air Force Structural Materials and Structures program, which was part of the Strategic Defensive Initiative (SDI) program, commonly, know as the Star Wars program. He retired in 1990 with 38 total years of Federal service, having received numerous awards for his contributions to the development of satellite and missile systems for the national defense. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Jacksonville, North Carolina.