Westborough – Warren MacConnell, 98, born and raised in Westborough, died quietly of natural causes at Dodge Park Rest Home in Worcester. He was 98 years old.
His wife of nearly sixty years, Elizabeth F. Knott of Worcester, died in 2016. He leaves behind two sons, Ian MacConnell of Douglas, and Neil MacConnell of Port Charlotte, FL. He also leaves behind a grandson, Daniel MacConnell of Webster, and three granddaughters: Julie Boucher of Millville, Katie Bauman of Raleigh, NC, and Samantha MacConnell, of Raleigh, NC. He also leaves behind five great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandson.
Warren MacConnell was born at home on the Fourth of July in 1925. His family had emigrated from New Brunswick, Canada in 1922, and he was the eighth of nine children. He was drafted into the US Army in 1943, serving in the Third US Army under George Patton. He was a veteran of the Battle of the Bulge. He was also a veteran of the Korean War, having served in the 2nd US Infantry Division. He left the army with the rank of Sergeant Major in the 17th Field Artillery Battalion, one of the youngest Master Sergeants in the history of the US Army at 27 years old.
All his life, Warren MacConnell had a deep pride in the family’s Scottish heritage. He loved Cape Breton style Scottish fiddling, enjoyed Scottish country dancing, and he learned to play the bagpipes. He joined the Worcester Kiltie Band as a piper in 1947 and was involved with the band until he and his wife moved to Sarasota, FL in 1988. In the late 1950’s, band members Warren, Bill McGuiness, and Alec Reed embarked on a project to encourage first-class pipe band musicians from Scotland to emigrate to Worcester to join the band. As a result, the Worcester Kiltie Band became a seven-time North American Pipe Band Champion during the 1960’s and was the first pipe band from outside of Scotland to travel there and win a Grade One pipe band competition.
A Mason and Shriner for many years, Warren joined the Sahib Temple Pipe Band in Sarasota, FL in 1988, even marching in parades playing the bagpipes until he was 90 years old. He moved back to Westborough in 2020 to be near his family.
Warren’s funeral services with Carr Funeral Home 24 Hill St. Whitinsville will be private.
In lieu of flowers donation made be made to Shriners Children’s New England Hospital 516 Carew St., Springfield, MA 01104.
