Merritt Island, FL - Former Boone County Sheriff, JAMES DAYTON MCCONNAHA (96) passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 12th, at Sodalis Assisted Living Facility in Merritt Island, Florida.

He was born in Lebanon, Indiana on March 23, 1929, and graduated from Lebanon High School in 1947, before being called to the Army, serving in the Korean War followed by 26 years in the U.S. Army Reserves and the Indiana National Guard. In 1958 he owned Rice-McConnaha Ford in Knightstown, Indiana, for three years and then returned to Lebanon where he ran and was elected Boone County Sheriff in 1962 and again in1966. While Sheriff, he started the first Reserve Deputy Program in the State of Indiana. He resigned a year early to take a position with Allied Insurance Company and was quickly promoted to Vice President Public Affairs, piloting the company planes all over the U.S. and working as a legislative lobbyist. After moving to Florida in 1974, he ended his career as a Criminal Investigator for 10 years with the State of Florida, retiring June 30, 1996.

Jim was awarded "Indiana Police Officer of the Year" in 1966 and was presented the "Sagamore of the Wabash" in 1974 by then Governor "Doc" Bowen. He was a lifetime member of the Indiana Sheriff's Association and attended the First Presbyterian Church in Lebanon, Indiana.

He and Pat had three children, Debra McConnaha (Kirk MacKay) Greenwood IN, Donna McConnaha Brown Cleveland, GA, and James S. McConnaha (Karen) Hopkinsville, KY. After divorcing Pat in 1964, he married Janice Lee (Huffer) Coapstick in Lebanon on May 20, 1966, and gained another son, Terry Coapstick (Christine) Merritt Island, FL. Together there are six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Jim is predeceased by his parents, Willis Earl McConnaha and Mary Gladys McKenzie McConnaha, his first wife, Pat (2016) his second wife, Jan (2024), along with his siblings W. E. "Mac" McConnaha and his wife Donna, Mary M. "Betty" Powell and her husband Q.D. "Bud", Pat Bell and her husband Renick, and S. Alyn McConnaha. Alyn McConnaha's wife, Margaret still resides in Lebanon, IN.

Jim and Jan were members of the Merritt Island Presbyterian Church, the Space Trackers Square Dance Club and Jim was President of the Central Florida Square Dance Association. Jim was also Vice Chairman of the Brevard County Florida Republican Party and a member of the 793rd Military Police Association, Elks, VFW, American Legion and Kiwanis. He and Jan were inducted into the Florida Square Dance Hall of Fame in May 2011.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Merritt Island Presbyterian Church in Merritt Island, Florida on Friday, April 10, 2026, at 5:00pm.

A joint Celebration of Life will be held for both Jim and Jan at Myers Mortuary in Lebanon on Monday, July 6th with gravesite services to follow.