Tis the season to catch up with illustrator Keith McConnell

One of Keith McConnell’s iconic Toys for Tots posters, “Santa with the dress blues in the closet”. Inset: McConnell works on another illustration.

Keith McConnell

Life member LtCol Keith McConnell retired from the US Marine Corps Reserve in 1996. As a longtime member of Public Affairs Unit MTU-CA16, (one of only two reserve PA units) he helped develop the Interview Techniques Course/Clinic that trained Marines of many ranks from Brigadier General selectees to the Recruiters School in the art of being interviewed by the press.

This included the tricks and traps employed by the media and counter measures to ensure that the Marine Corps story regarding a particular incident gets a fair hearing. MTU-CA16 was also responsible for promoting the annual US Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program. As part of that program, McConnell designed and illustrated eight different posters, including the “Santa with the dress blues in the closet” which has been used many years.

After his tour of duty as a Combat Artist in Desert Storm, McConnell found that the illustration business was becoming computer dominated and he decided that that was not something that interested him. So, he decided he would explore another passion of his…medicine. He returned to school and became a Registered Nurse and worked as an operating room and mental health (psych) nurse until he retired. On his annual physical after Desert Storm, he was diagnosed with Chronic Kidney Disease which eventually resulted in a kidney transplant in 2016 from a live donor and Christian friend.

After residing for more than 30 years in Los Angeles, his wife Joanne and he moved to a very small, rural location on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington called Port Ludlow.

He occasionally draws or paints but usually expresses his creativity by tying fishing flies. He and his wife enjoy traveling and visit their children in Texas and Southern California frequently. Every Thursday, McConnell joins an ever expanding group of vets called the ROMEOS (Retired Old Men Eating Out) for lunch at one the restaurants in the area. Lots of laughs and great war stories!