The life of a wonderful, kind, and hardworking Christian man, Oliver Wesley Connell, 87, of Henderson, Kentucky, ended on Wednesday, June 15, 2016. His battle with cancer is over and he rests in the arms of his Heavenly Father.

Oliver was a 32nd Degree Mason and member of Jerusalem Masonic Lodge No. 9. He was a longtime member and deacon at Audubon Baptist Church.

He was a retired Assistant Fire Chief for the Henderson Fire Department. He was also a former builder and member of the Audubon Homebuilders Association.

He will be greatly missed.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Ellen Forester Connell; his father, Irvin Connell, Sr.; two brothers, Irvin "Buddy" Connell and Carl Mack Connell; and one sister, Thelma Connell Faver.

He is survived by his wife of almost 70 years, Louise Wright Connell. They had three children, Daniel W. Connell and his wife, Lena, of Daytona Beach, Florida, Susan Connell Holman and her husband, Henry, of Cave City, Kentucky, and Alicia K. Connell Sowards and her husband, Steve, of Jacksonville, Florida; four grandchildren, Tiffany Connell Herndon, Christopher Connell, Emily Holman Chipman, and Ellen Holman Poynter; nine great-grandchildren, Nathaniel Connell, Dylan Connell, Travis Herndon, Gavin Herndon, Anna Chipman, Kate Chipman, Ginny Chipman, Emma Poynter, and Ava Poynter.

Services will be at noon Saturday at Rudy-Rowland Funeral Home. The Reverend Andy Weaver will officiate. Burial will be in Roselawn Memorial Gardens.

Visitation will be 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and until service time Saturday at the funeral home.

Pallbearers will be grandsons, great-grandsons, and sons-in-law.