Peter Joseph Conway

Peter Joseph Conway, 85, passed away on Sunday, April 7, 2024, at Presbyterian Manor, after a valiant fight against complications of Parkinson’s Disease and a stroke occurring 3 years ago. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Catherine Gormley Conway and Charles Paul Conway.  The family moved to Stockton, California when he was 6 years old and remained there. His older sister Peggy, and younger brother Chuck, both preceded him in death.   Upon graduating from high school, Pete and several friends decided to join the Army and his first assignment was going to  Airborne School at Ft. Campbell, Kentucky.  He was thrilled to be able to jump out of perfectly good planes  and experience the thrill of a great landing.  After his enlistment was over he very much wanted to make the military a  career as an officer, so he went to college, got a degree in Political Science, and returned to go through Officer Candidate School at Ft. Benning, Georgia.  He was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant, Infantry branch, and assigned to Fort Ord, California at Monterey. With his wife, Donna Rich Conway, they happily drove back to California.  Soon after,  they welcomed their first son, Michael, followed two years later by Kevin.  A year’s tour in Vietnam, which he always claimed he shouldn’t have survived being in the 1st Cavalry Division, which was often in battle.  He was awarded the Silver Star, among other honors.    He returned to complete 27 years of military service, retiring as a lieutenant colonel from Ft. Leavenworth where he taught at the Command and General Staff College.  Retirement saw him getting a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Guidance from St. Mary College, then teaching 5th grade reading, which he loved.  In moving to Lawrence, he soon got a job at Lawrence Country Club as a groundskeeper on the golf club.  For 20 years he worked part time there in season, loving the beauty of the course, especially early in the morning, even though he didn’t play the game.  He was there up until he had the stroke and could no longer go to work. A sad time as he so enjoyed it and all the golfers he would meet.    His last years while having to use a walker, he stayed as active as possible, going to PT classes at the Rock Chalk pavilion and getting out for some exercise every day.  Until the last day of January when he couldn’t get up any longer, was hospitalized briefly, then admitted to Presbyterian Manor, he stayed positive and tried his best.  To all of the medical staff, aides, and assistants there I have the greatest respect for and thank them for all the excellent care he received.  As he said to several people at different times “ I’ve had a good life “. And I think he did!  It was a life well lived and he was loved in equal measure.  He will be missed forever.  Survived by his wife, Donna, son Michael and wife Dawn, granddaughters Lauren and Brooke, all of Highlands Ranch, Colorado; son Kevin, wife  Cary, granddaughter Kathryn, grandson Chris, all of the Allen and Dallas, Texas area.  A family celebration of his life will be held at a later date.