Aldis F. McConnell, 79, of 509 Walden Ave., who flew around in lighter-than-air balloons to get a little elbow room, died yesterday in Maumee Valley Hospital. He was the father of 20 children.
Mr. McConnell was one of the Midwest's most active "balloon jumpers" for 30 years.
During his career he made more than 5,000 ascensions. The first came when he was only 11 years old in his home town of Yale, Mich.
Went Alone
"A balloon jumper came to town" he said, "and I asked him if I could go up. He said, 'Sure sonny, if you want to.' So I went up alone."
He was only injured once. His ankle was broken when he parachuted into the side of a church in Indiana.
Mr. McConnell lived 40 years in Toledo. He also spent a year in Wauseon, IN. He made his decision to live there while passing over the Fulton County town in his balloon.
He earned as much as $150 a parachute jump, but in recent years the profession became too regulated for him because jumpers needed a license and couldn't interfere with air lanes.
Bus Driver
Mr. McConnell was employed 15 years as a Community Traction Co. bus driver. He retired at 67, continuing balloon jumps until 19 years ago. Mr. McConnell made jumps at Vollmer's Park near Grand Rapids, at Findley, Clay Center, and Metamora.
He often recalled his technique, saying: "I'd hang by my feet and wave the flag while the band below played the "Star Spangled Banner." I'd have it all fixed with the band leader, and when the bass drummer banged his drum, I'd cut loose from my trapeze bar, and down I'd come."
Wife, Children Survive
Mr. McConnell was a member of Echo Meadows Church of Christ, Oregon. Surviving are his wife, Eva; daughters, Mrs. Doral Arnold, Mrs. LaVerne Smith, Mrs. Verda Largent, all of Toledo; Mrs. Mildred Peck, of Port Huron, Mich.; Mrs. Selma Bayles, of Las Vegas, Nev.; Mrs. Agnes Glanzman, of Stoney Ridge, Oh.; Mrs. Barbara Blade, of Oregon; Mrs. Eileen Barker and Mrs. Neva Hall, both of Maumee, and Mrs. Arlene Dell, of Swanton; sons, Bruce, Glen, Joseph, Lowell, all of Toledo; Dewaine, of Maumee; 29 grandchildren, and a great grandchild.
The body will be in the Eggleston-Meinert Mortuary until Friday at 10 a.m. Services will be Friday at 1 pm. in Echo Meadows Church of Christ, Oregon. Burial will be in Toledo Memorial Park.
Note: reference to Oregon is Oregon Twp, OH, Maumee Twp, OH, Grand Rapids and Metamora are both in MI.
From the Toledo Blade Newspaper, Toledo, OH, Wednesday, March 29, 1967, courtesy of B. Prudy.

Created on ... June 10, 2002