Gavan Connell (SPC 1961-68)

Gavan Connell.

We are very sad to hear of the passing of Old Collegian Gavan Connell (SPC 1961-68), aged 70, who died of a heart attack on October 9 in Mexico, where Gavan has lived with his wife Lorenna in Merida, Yacatan, for the last 20 years.

The couple have a 14-year-old daughter Alexandra together and Gavan has two adult children from his first marriage, Matthew and Cy. Gavan attended SPC with his brother Peter (SPC 1962-69, PY1970) and he had an older sister Margaret.

College Prefect Gavan Connell.

Peter was a College Prefect in 1968 and came to SPC in 1961 as a full-time boarder from Nauru. He was both a Junior Government Scholarship winner and a Commonwealth Secondary Scholarship winner. He was a second year Matriculation student with honours in Mathematics.

He was a member of Sodality, Third XVIII and College Basketball. Gavan finished third in the Sir High Devine impromptu speaking competition in 1968 and was part of the SPC Athletic Team. Gavan shared some of his memories of his time at SPC in our “Where are they now” profile a couple of years ago and it can be found here

Gavan Connell pictured in the basketball team in the 1968 College Annual.

Gavan, an ex-soldier, wrote several books in his later years including one called “Relentless”, which is described as an old-style thriller, set mostly in modern-day Mexico, and tells the story of a retired US Navy SEAL named Slayer.

It has been described as a great read by a fellow Old Boy, who said Gavan knew his subject matter well and “there are no disappointing letdowns when it comes to the mechanics of death and destruction, and there is plenty of subtle humour to keep the mood light and entertaining throughout”. Gavin also wrote instructional manuals for the Army.

Gavan Connell in his second year matriculation class photo in 1968.