THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, DECEmbEr 29, 2023 Page 5 One More Tribute to Two Great Dads By Joe McConnell A nother year will be ending in two days, and traditionally newspaper reporters would have already wreaked havoc through their archives to chronicle the most important stories for that final week’s publication. It’s never an easy task, but some years are tougher than others. In 2023, The Advocate family had to sadly cope with losses. On June 30, the newspaper’s cofounder, James Donald Mitchell, Jr., passed away, and just 12 days later on July 11, my dad, Joseph F. McConnell, Sr., left us for the world of eternal life, as well. At that point, the emotions and memories started to fl ow. It had nothing to do with their careers, but what they meant to the world around them as a whole. As his sportswriter for the better part of three decades. I saw Jim’s newspaper empire grow exponentially. It all started in his native Chelsea, but in 1993, his son, James David Mitchell, bought out his dad’s company, Suff olk County Publications, and, through his own company, Advocate Newspapers, Inc., expanded to Revere and Everett, where it became a must-read every Friday, and it still is to this day. Jim and his son have never been afraid to expose the inner workings of city government, while still promoting Everett Pride in their thorough coverage of its exemplary sports teams coupled with the tremendous overall accomplishments of the city’s residents. The Mitchells eventually went into Malden and Saugus, and just like in Everett and Revere, those publications have also become the papers of record over time in their communities. They have also signifi cantly grown their online presence to give those readers who have moved away from the area an opportunity to catch up on their hometowns on a weekly basis. But beyond all this was a man who championed the underdog. Jimmy’s dad treated everybody with the respect they deserved. It didn’t matter to him if they were able-bodied or they had special needs, they were all the same to him. He befriended them all, and Longtime Advocate sportswriter Joe McConnell, Jr. is shown with his dad, Joe, Sr., in 2014 after he celebrated his 89th birthday at the Texas Roadhouse in Everett with his son and many other family members. Joe, Sr. passed away on July 11. (Courtesy photo) if they had a need, he’d voluntarily reach into his pocket or make a phone call to help them out. He also approached charities and civic-minded organizations the same way. His philanthropy was immeasurable – to go along with the thousands of people he personally met throughout the decades, many of whom still have their own positive memories of him. My dad, who served in the Navy during World War II and in the National Guard during the Korean War, retired from the telephone company in 1987 after almost fi ve decades on the job. But he often said that the subsequent 35 years were defi nitely more rewardTWO DADS | SEE PAGE 14 SABATINO INSURANCE AGENCY 519 BROADWAY EVERETT, MA 02149 Auto * Home * Boat * Renter * Condo * Life * Multi-Policy Discounts * Commercial 10% Discounts * Registry Service Also Available Sabatino Insurance is proud to welcome the loyal customers of PHONE: (617) 387-7466 FAX: (617) 381-9186 Visit us online at: WWW.SABATINO-INS.COM
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