Isabelle L. McConnaughey 1925-2021
Isabelle L. McConnaughey, age 96-⅓ (we find you count months when you’re under 5 and over 90), of Topeka, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2021.
Isabelle was born June 23, 1925, in Atchison, the daughter of Frank Lindsey and Lillian Rosemond (Pharris) Lindsey. She married Joseph McConnaughey on Nov. 3, 1942. He preceded her in death in 1974. She was also preceded in death by a son, Alvin McConnaughey, in 1982 and a great-grandson.
She is survived by three sons, Jim (Pam) McConnaughey of Meriden, Bill (Rita) McConnaughey of Meriden and Tom McConnaughey of Valley Falls; two daughters, Carol (Donald) Hubach of Topeka and Sandy (Hank) Kruger of Oskaloosa; a sister, Betty Wagner of Atchison; 15 grandchildren; 29 great-grandchildren and 11-8/9 great-great-grandchildren.
Belle was the family matriarch and spent most of her life on a self-sustaining farm caring for her children and many cousins, friends, and grandchildren. She is best remembered for Sunday gatherings with homemade food for the entire clan. Her husband died when she was 49 and she entered the work force as a caregiver, housekeeper, restaurateur, childcare and gun stock factory worker.
Her work ethic taught much to her children and grandchildren. When she lost her thumb in a factory accident, she was back at work the next day. She was strong, comforting, resilient, independent, loving and loyal. Generations were rocked to sleep on her lap in front of the pot-bellied stove for which she’d chopped the wood herself. She never turned down an invitation for bingo and loved to garden.
The spirited, energetic look in her eye never left until the last week of her 96-⅓ years when the generations left behind were finally able to take care of her. We rocked her to her eternal sleep with a love inherited from the absolute best — may your soul find a beautiful garden and quarter bingo game and move on forever in peace and happiness…
Isabelle has been cremated and we will celebrate her life with a huge picnic of family and friends in the spring so we can have flowers and homemade food that will not come close to what we grew up on. davidsonfuneral.com
(PAID OBITUARY)
