James F. “Pat” Conroy, 99

January 25, 2018

James F. “Pat” Conroy, 99, died peacefully with family at his side on January 25, 2018. A resident of Masonic Village in Elizabethtown, Pat was formerly of Lancaster. He was born to the late Edward and Etta (Keeler) Conroy and was the loving husband of the late Florence “Cis” (Anderson) Conroy, who died in 2014. They were married for 71 years, which was a miracle because every spring he would cut down her forsythia bushes while she yelled at him from the kitchen window.

A graduate of the former Lancaster Boys’ High School, Pat completed his HVAC studies at Thaddeus Stevens College. Over his career he worked for Ressler & Mateer, Martin Service Company, and Clark Mechanical.

Pat served in the U.S. Navy during World War II and was Machinist’s Mate Second Class on the USS Pasadena. He received the Pacific Theater, Good Conduct, and Philippine Liberation Ribbons and the Victory Medal during his service.

An indefatigable volunteer who always whistled while he worked, Pat was a member of the Hamilton Park Playground Association from 1952 to 1968 and president of the Wheatland Fire Company from 1965 to 1967. He was a member of the Lancaster Sertoma Club from 1958 to 2005 and served on the Board of Directors of both the Long’s Park Amphitheater Foundation (27 years) and The Gate House (33 years). He was also a member of the Masonic Lodge No. 43 F. & A.M.

Pat is loved, celebrated, and survived by his two granddaughters, Yahna, wife of David McFalls of Ephrata, and Kelli Conroy of Berlin, MD, and three great-grandchildren, Liam, Loghan, and Finn McFalls. In addition to his wife Cis, Pat was preceded in death by their daughter Sally Etta Conroy in 1955 and son James Michael Conroy in 2016, and his sister Joan Sheffer.

Service will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2018, at the Charles F. Snyder Jr. Funeral Home, 3110 Lititz Pike, Lititz, PA, 17543. Family visitation will be from 10 to 11 AM with service at 11 AM. Interment will take place immediately following at Riverview Burial Park. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Pat’s memory to The Gate House, 817 N. Cherry St., Lancaster, PA, 17602, or www.gatehouse.org/donate.