06/02/2018
Richard Steven McConville Resident of Los Gatos December 23, 1926 – May 31, 2018, Richard Steven McConville was the 12th of 13th child, born to Edith and Edward McConville (coal miner) in Centerville, Iowa.
In school, he excelled in football and basketball and was captain of both teams during his senior year in Knoxville.
Dad loved music and playing the trumpet and his dream was to play in a big band like Harry James and have his own dance band. He formed a 9 personal band during his junior year in high school, called the Top Hatters and they played for all the school dances and also for schools in neighboring towns.
After high school, Dick had the opportunity to attend Notre Dame U. for a year and then it was off for a short stint in the navy, stateside, before the war ended. The following year he received a football scholarship to Santa Clara University, where he took pre-dental. At that time most of his family was in process of migrating to California.
When he was 21, and home in Knoxville, Iowa for summer break, he met 16-year-old Linda Belknap at the town pool and the rest is history.
But since he had to go back to school, their courtship consisted of 4 years of letter-writing (all of which mom saved her entire life). After Santa Clara, he attended UCSF dental school and they were married in Iowa in the summer of 1952. After which they drove out to CA on their honeymoon and he started his children’s dental practice in San Jose, joined by his brother Joseph McConville.
Soon after followed 6 children: Melissa, Jennifer (deceased), Molly, Erin, Matthew, and Sheila.
Dick and Linda settled across the street from St. Martin’s church and became well-loved ministers of music in the community. Everyone loved going to appts. at Dad’s dental office, which was also across the street.
At dinner in the evenings we would say “who was in today?” Always families we knew. Mothers would book their kids appts months and months in advance so they could get their checkups during Halloween week when dad and Joe and their entire staff would dress in costume for the entire week. We all grew up helping out in the office and loved it.
Dad also taught at the UCSF dental school for many years, he loved teaching. He also loved learning and in the 70s expanded his practice to include orthodontics.
Being a children’s dentist, it goes without saying that Dad was patient beyond belief, in every way. He was also the gentlest of men, and his office slogan was “Everybody loves a gentle dentist”, with blue snoopy shirts proclaiming it.
Dad was a man of great faith, could often be found praying on his knees and gave us great spiritual guidance. He continued to play the trumpet for mass at holidays up through the last year of his life. His greatest joy was playing and singing with Mom, and in the 60s the family band was formed, followed by the St. Martin’s guitar mass group. He taught everybody how to play the guitar.
After retiring from dentistry, he went on to teach band at St. Martin’s school for many years. He continued playing in several big bands and was still performing regularly in his own band until this past month. He loved it and would go to dances 4 times a week and always would be a guest performer with whatever band was playing there.
Most important to Dad was family, he spent so much time with his children, and grandchildren, and loved to go camping, fishing, golfing, write letters, grow vegetables, have dogs, raise chickens, rabbits, and doves, and make bread and pies….and run marathons! We were all so proud of him and enjoyed him so much, always.
He saw the humor in everything and also taught us to love each other no matter what.
Survived by children Melissa Ammerman, Molly McConville, Erin McNally, Matthew McConville, Sheila McConville (Jeff George), grandchildren Duggan McDonnell (Felicia), Ellen Morton (John), Amaya Lopez (Mason), Daniel Wiegert, Darren Wiegert, Michaela Johnson, Theresa Ammerman. Rebecca Boles (Harrison), Kevin McNally, Justin McNally, Molly McNally, Mira Goto (Anthony), Danielle Engelhorn (Kyle); and great-grandchildren Job, Amaya, Coralie, Harper, Logan, and Gunnar.
Mass and reception Tuesday, June 5th at 10:00 AM at St. Martin of Tours, 200 O’Connor Dr., San Jose, CA.
Published in Mercury News on June 4, 2018