Justin McConnell

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

— 2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

Justin Reid McConnell

September 5, 1984 – August 20, 2026

Justin Reid McConnell, 41, of Arvada, Colorado, passed away tragically on August 20, 2026, after being struck by lightning while visiting Cape Charles beach with his mother.

Justin was born on September 5, 1984, in Fairfax, Virginia, and raised in Northern Virginia before later making his home in Arvada, Colorado, where he built a life he loved surrounded by the great outdoors and the mountains he cherished.

Justin had a beautiful, compassionate heart for people and animals alike. He found deep joy in fostering dogs, giving them a soft place to land, and in riding horses on his mother’s farm in the Virginia countryside. His sense of humor could lift up a room, and he had a way of making the people around him feel seen and loved. He will be remembered as someone whose warmth and kindness touched everyone who knew him.

He is survived by his mother, Peggi McConnell, and her life partner, David Kirk; his father, Evan McConnell, and step-mother, Caron McConnell; his sister, Rya Baker, her husband, Jason Baker, and their children, Leah and Alex; and his sister, Tiffany Thompson, her husband, Ed McNally, and her children, Chris, Andy, and Tristan. A special mention to Susan Gaeta, who Justin considered his “second mom.”

Service Information

Funeral Service

• Thursday, September 17, 2026, at 11:00 AM
• Novum Baptist Church • 1629 Novum Church Road, Reva, VA 22735
• Pastor Jeffrey D. Light, officiating
• A reception will follow in the church hall.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations in Justin’s memory to Service Dogs of Virginia, 673 Berkmar Ct, Charlottesville, VA 22901, online at servicedogsva.org/donate.

A special thank you to the Madison County, Arvada, and Cape Charles communities, Doughty Funeral Home, and Novum Baptist Church for their kindness and support during this difficult time.

Arrangements made by Doughty Funeral Home of Exmore, Virginia.