John T. Conroy

John T. Conroy, 82, passed away peacefully and with dignity on July 13, 2019 at his home, surrounded by his wife and three children.  Born February 11, 1937 in Columbus, Ohio to the late Thomas and Helen (Schwartz) Conroy.  He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Rosemary (Schirtzinger) Conroy, his children Krista Conroy, Sean (Corie) Conroy, Anne (Phil) Noble, grandchildren Jack and Katie Conroy and Josie and Keegan Noble, his twin sister Jeanette Black, his sisters’ children Lynn (Bob) Cobos, Laurie (Jeff) Strung, Jimmy (Audrey) Black and Phyllis (Chuck) Maynor, as well as many other nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins and close friends.  In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his sisters Martha Conroy and Virginia Moyer, his nephew Thomas Moyer and brother-in-law James Black Jr.

John grew up on the east side of Columbus and graduated from Holy Rosary High School in 1955.  He earned a Bachelor of Science in Commerce from Ohio University in 1959. While at Ohio University, he became active in Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity and remained close with many fraternity brothers over the years.  In 1962, he earned his Juris Doctor from Ohio Northern University.   After college, he worked as an attorney and Director of the Family Service Unit for the Legal Aid and Defender Society of Columbus and then as Assistant Ohio Attorney General.  He was also Chief Hearing Officer for the State Personnel Board of Review.  He spent the balance of his 57 year legal career as a private practice attorney in the field of family law.

John was very active in the Democratic National Committee and the Franklin County Democratic party, serving on the Democratic Ward Committee for over 25 years. He has been a member of the Supreme Court of Ohio, the Ohio Bar Association, and the Columbus Bar Association. He was also a candidate for the Franklin County Common Pleas Court Judge in 1988.

John met Rosemary Schirtzinger in the Catholic Alumni Club and they married in 1969 at Our Lady of Victory Church in Marble Cliff, Ohio.  He has been an active member of St. Agatha Church in Upper Arlington for nearly 50 years serving as coordinator and instructor for Baptism classes in earlier years and more recently as a lector.  He was an active member of the St. Vincent DePaul Society, The Catholic Foundation and The Thomas More Society, where he also served on The Red Mass Committee.

John enjoyed spending time with his family and four grandchildren.  He also enjoyed reading, gardening, bird watching and dancing.  He was a member of the Germania Club of Columbus for a number of years where he and his wife Rosemary would spend Saturday nights dancing the polka.  He also loved spending time at the family cottage in Cedarville, Michigan, where he enjoyed taking boat rides through the channels and served as an active member of the Les Cheneaux Islands Association.  As a father of three, he spent summers traveling coast to coast in the family motor home.  More recently, he enjoyed trips to the East Coast, Hilton Head, California and Ireland.

Friends may call Monday, July 15 from 4-7 p.m. at Egan-Ryan Funeral Home Northwest Chapel, 4661 Kenny Rd.  Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m., Tuesday, July 16 at St. Agatha Church, 1860 Northam Rd.  Burial to follow at St. Joseph Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to St. Agatha Church (1860 Northam Rd, Upper Arlington, OH 43221), Our Lady of the Snows Church in Hessel, Michigan (c/o St. Stanislaus Kostka, 12841 E. Traynor Road, Goetzville, MI 49736), or OhioHealth Hospice of Columbus (OhioHealth David P. Blom Administrative Campus, 3430 OhioHealth Parkway, Columbus, OH 43202).

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John T. Conroy, please visit our floral store.