On August 25th, an amazing angel named Maria Diana McConnell returned to heaven.  From the time she was born in Chicago in 1939, and throughout her meaningfull life, she was the beautiful girl whose elegant presence and incredible smile lit up any room she entered!

Maria graduated from Northern Illinois University where she met the love of her life, Philip McConnell.  Throughout their 59 years of marriage, she never wavered in her loving commitment to him and their family.  Together they created a wonderful life that included having four sons - Kevin, Brian, Patrick and Michael - in a five year period!  Maria worked in retail and education, volunteered in the hospital and community organizations while raising her sons with happiness, laughter and unconditional love.  

Maria was full of joy and always up for an adventure.  She enjoyed travel with her boys, and ultimately their extended families, that ranged from an African Safari to walking the Great Wall of China, as well as romantic gentaways with Philip.  Maria, however, was equally happy sitting at the kithen table enjoying stories with her boys, her daughter-in-laws, or the current antics of her now 7 grandchildren and 1 great grandson.  Her wonderful sense of humor and generous laughter was infectious,

Even during her last week of life, while battling CJD, Maria gave her family the gift of rallying to attend a birthday party in her honor.  She was surrounded by family and friends gathered to celebrate her amazing life.  With her characterisitc grace, humor, intelligence and love, she enjoyed hearing her family members read love letters to her expressing how she was such an inspiration to each of them and how they felt blessed to have been able to call this extraordinary woman - mother, grandmother and friend.

In honor of this special woman, we are so grateful for the contributions to our team, and hope they bring us closer to finding a cure.