Patrick Tyler Connell

Memorial service for Patrick Tyler Connell, 31, Eudora, KS, will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, at Holy Family Catholic Church in Eudora. Burial will follow at Holy Family Catholic Cemetery. A Rosary will be recited at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, at Warren-McElwain Mortuary–Eudora Chapel, with a visitation to follow until 7:00 p.m. Patrick passed away on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in Eudora.

Patrick was born on August 11, 1992, in Overland Park, KS, the son of Craig and Jill (Edler) Connell. At that time three older brothers welcomed him home, which later attributed to his tough guy persona. Childhood in Lenexa, KS, included school days at Christa McAuliffe Elementary and Westridge Middle School. Along with his siblings and cousins, he savored annual summer stays in Spencer and State Center, IA, with both sets of grandparents. As a teenager, he lifeguarded at the local pool.  Life was full of adventure—a constant cycle of friends in and out of the house, family events, vacations, camping, fishing, and sports.

He graduated from Shawnee Mission West High School in 2011 and Kanas State University with a BS in Business Administration in 2015. He spent a fun-filled semester (partying) abroad, attending classes at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia, in 2014.

At the time of his death, he was an accountant for Modern Manufacturing in Eudora, KS. Previously, he provided overnight trucking with Freedom Trucking, making sure the goods were available on a timely basis for all those next day deliveries. And before that, he followed in his father’s and older brothers’ footsteps taking his first job out of college at Black & Veatch, where he was also an accountant.

Patrick was active in Boy Scouts, earning the top rank of Eagle Scout; hiked 70+ miles for 10 days at the Philmont Scout Ranch in the Rocky Mountains of New Mexico; was a Congressional Gold Medal awardee in Washington DC; and was one of 15 freshmen at KSU selected to represent the university on the Student Senate. He was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at KSU. He attended countless parties and impromptu hot tub gatherings.

Patrick was an avid fan of K-State football and basketball as well as the Kansas City Chiefs—so avid that he braved minus 4 degrees and 27 mph winds with his brother, Chris, to watch the Chiefs beat the Dolphins in January 2024. He loved to play golf, talk politics, and go pheasant and turkey hunting. A movie buff, Patrick saw Dune 2 in theaters at least 6 times. Called by many nicknames, one of his earliest—Snicklefritz—was given by his Grandma Connell.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Don and Doris (Stalzer) Edler, State Center, IA, and his paternal grandparents, Larry and Esther (DeLong) Connell, Spencer, IA.

Survivors include his parents, Craig and Jill Connell, Eudora; his brothers, Ben (Amanda) Connell, Prairie Village, KS; Nick Connell, Brooklyn, NY; Chris (Ellen) Connell, Eudora, KS; and Matthew Connell, Kansas City, MO; six nieces and nephews; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Memorial contributions may be made in Patrick’s name to NAMI (National Alliance of Mental Illness) of Johnson County Kansas and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044. For more information or to post a condolence go to warrenmcelwain.com.