David McKain, Avalonia Life Member, dies at 79

The members, staff, and board of directors of the Avalonia Land Conservancy were saddened to learn of the passing of David McKain on December 27th after a long affliction with Alzheimer’s disease. David and his wife, Margaret Gibson, have been Life Members of Avalonia for many years, served on the board, and stewarded properties. In 2008, they donated over nine acres in Preston known as the Gibson/McKain Songbird Preserve, which added to the then 230-acre Mitchell Preserve and Reed Woodlands. David, a published author and poet who was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize, was an avid walker, hiker, book collector, genealogist, builder of stone walls, and a passionate participant in the civil rights and peace movements. To read more about David, please click HERE.

We would like to extend our deepest sympathy to David’s family for their loss and thank them once again for their generous contributions toward the conservation of southeastern Connecticut’s natural beauty. The family has asked that donations be made to the Avalonia Land Conservancy in lieu of flowers.