Rest in Peace: Paul Conroy, December 5, 1953 – May 31, 2026
/A Celebration of Life and Christian Burial
June 20, 2026 1:00 o’clock
St. Benedict Episcopal Church
910 Bowker St. SE Lacey, WA 98503
Paul Richard Conroy, 72, died peacefully at home on May 31, 2026, in Lacey, Washington, of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was born on December 5,1953, in Lackawanna, New York, to Richard G. and Virginia A. (Sieminski) Conroy.
Paul graduated from Hamburg High School (1971), Mohawk Valley Community College (1973), Fredonia State College (1975), and earned a Master of Arts degree in history from the University of Buffalo (1982). He applied for many jobs in the intelligence field, but the replies were always the same: “Great education but no experience.” When he saw an advertisement for the Army that read, “We don’t require experience, we give it,” he investigated. He joined the enlisted ranks to focus on his chosen field, military intelligence, and was promoted quickly. As a Sergeant First Class, he applied to and was accepted for Warrant Officer Candidate School.
Paul’s career included deployments to Operation Desert Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He worked around the world, including in Kuwait, Iraq, Panama, Korea, Turkey and Argentina as well as multiple postings in the United States. The Army sent him to the Joint Military Intelligence College on Bolling Air Force Base where he earned a Master of Science degree in Strategic Intelligence in 2003. Paul received numerous Army awards, including the Bronze Star, Joint Meritorious Service Medal, and Joint Service Commendation Medal. Paul retired from the United States Army in 2006 with 22 years of service.
Paul married Linda A. McKinnie on June 7, 1997, in Phoenix, Arizona. Their first date was a hike through the desert followed by dinner and browsing in a bookstore. Paul died one week before their 29th wedding anniversary.
Paul’s dedication to service didn’t end when he left the military. He led the acolyte team at St. Benedict Episcopal church for 15 years and was a member of Lacey Sunrise Lions for 12 years. He regularly volunteered at the Lacey Eyeglass Recycling Center. His other focuses with the Lions were on the third-grade dictionary project and the scholarship committee. In 2025, Paul was awarded the Melvin Jones Fellowship, the highest form of recognition for outstanding individuals within the Lions Club.
Paul never stopped learning and reading extensively in history – especially military history. He also enjoyed reading science fiction and fantasy. He was a proponent of health through physical fitness; he began running cross-country track in high school and kept running until recently. He was a lifelong baseball fan (Linda and Paul went to a major league baseball game on their honeymoon) and hockey fan (despite his poor health; he attended a Seattle Kraken game in March). In recent years, he became interested in rugby and professional bicycling. Paul loved dogs and met many neighbors by walking his and Linda’s succession of four-legged “children,” Kiko, Kelly, Spencer and Abby, twice a day for decades.
Paul was preceded in death by his parents, Richard and Virginia Conroy, and his brother, Philip. He is survived by his wife, Linda McKinnie; his brothers Carl and Joel; brothers-and sisters-in-law David McKinnie, Carolyn McKinnie (Daniel Runge), Sharon Bodine (Daniel), and Thomas McKinnie; and three nieces and three nephews.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Lacey Sunrise Lions.
