A 69-year-old Lunenberg man who died while climbing in the Leominster State Forest earlier this month was remembered in his obituary as the “epitome of a Renaissance man” who loved music and the outdoors.
Robert “Bob” Conroy died on the afternoon of July 11 when he fell while climbing in an area of the forest located in Westminster, according to the Worcester County District Attorney’s office. Officials have not said how Conroy, an avid rock climber, fell.
Conroy was born in Everett and spent his youth working a variety of jobs, including as a burger flipper, cardboard box builder and screenprinting flying ducks on vacuum cleaner bags. Eventually, Conroy realized that playing guitar, which he picked up at 13, was one of his true passions, his obituary reads.
He then enrolled at the University of Massachusetts Boston and transferred to the New England Conservatory of Music, where he earned a bachelor’s of music in classical guitar. Conroy met his wife, Susan Mello-Conroy, described in the obituary as his muse, at the conservatory. The pair shared a love of music and frequently performed together.
Eventually, the Conroys had two children — Merry and Kyle. Later, Bob Conroy helped raise his two grandchildren, Jovani and Nalia Rivera, who were “the light of his life,” the obituary reads.
Bob Conroy was an accomplished guitar player and songwriter who wrote and recorded eight albums, including three with the band SpyTones. He was a member of many bands over the course of his life, including The Glue Factory, Still in the Cellar, Shimmer and Rocky Knoll, according to the obituary.
“Reflective of his nature, Bob’s love of music spanned across many genres including surf music, contemporary, classical and blues,” the obituary reads.
Outside of music, Conroy had a “deep love” of nature. He began hiking at 13, which developed into a passion for outdoor activities such as biking, running, camping and rock and ice climbing. Conroy hitchhiked from Everett to the White Mountains in New Hampshire and once across Canada. By the time he turned 40, Conroy had finished a cross-country trek on his bike, climbed Grand Teton in Wyoming, joined the 4,000-footer club of New Hampshire and regularly completed athletic charity events, according to the obituary.
After completing his undergraduate degree, Conroy enrolled at Boston University, where he got a master’s degree in Computer Information Systems. Conroy “delighted in literature and philosophy and was a passionate reader” throughout his life, the obituary reads. He was a member of the Board of Trustees at the Lunenburg Public Library and had an extensive book collection featuring Wodehouse, Dickens and Thoreau.
While at BU, Conroy accumulated so many philosophy credits “purely out of love for learning” that he could have earned a second master’s degree.
Conroy and his wife fostered 13 dogs and adopted eight. They also adopted three cats and many chickens, the obituary reads.
“He loved his dogs, Louie, Hula and Cato, very much,” the notice continues.
Services for Conroy will be held at Bigelow Chapel of Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge from 1 to 4 pm. Aug. 2 A celebration of his life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, Conroy’s family asked that donations in his memory be sent to Friends of the Lunenburg Library.
