Campbell R. McConnell ’50

Campbell R. “Mac” McConnell ’50, the author of a widely used economics textbook, died Jan. 5, 2019, at age 90, to go to what his official obituary called “that great faculty lounge in the sky.” His textbook, “Economics: Principles, Problems, and Policies,” has seen 21 editions since its initial publication in 1960 and is the best-selling book in its field. He is also co-author of a labor economics text in its 11th edition. He has served as president of the Midwest Economics Association and was a member of the American Economics Association’s Committee on Economic Education.

McConnell was a retired economist who taught at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln for 37 years. In addition to his Cornell College degree, he held a master of arts degree from the University of Illinois and a Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. He received a Distinguished Teaching Award from UN-L in 1962, the James Lake Academic Freedom Award in 1991, and the Distinguished Faculty Award in 1994. Cornell College granted him an honorary Doctor of Law degree in 1973 and a Distinguished Achievement Award in 1994.

McConnell and his wife of 55 years, Marilyn, established two endowed faculty development funds at Cornell. McConnell unknowingly convinced his high school classmate to attend Cornell when he mentioned he was going to the college. That classmate, Richard Small ’50, became the largest donor in Cornell’s history. Always a Cornell enthusiast, McConnell requested to be buried in a Cornell T-shirt.

His wife preceded him in death. He is survived by two daughters, son Curtis McConnell ’81, three grandchildren including Holly Davis ’06 and Mariah McConnell-Beepath ’15, and brother and sister-in-law John McConnell ’48 and Kathie Safford McConnell ’48. Other survivors include great-niece Rebecca Swartz ’10.