July 23, 1924 ~ June 13, 2019
Deacon John J. Conniff, 94, of Lake Park, Georgia, died on Thursday, June 13, 2019 at Langdale Hospice House.
Deacon Conniff was born in Hudson, Pennsylvania on July 23, 1924 to the late Felix M. Conniff and Wanda J. Boczkowski Conniff. He grew up in Hudson as the youngest son of eight children. At age 17, he volunteered for the U.S. Army Air Corps and served during WWII in France in the Communications Corps. Following the war, he tried his hand at many different careers, even considering becoming a Catholic priest. But then in a church discussion group he met the former Lenore Margaret Davis. At a dance on Valentine’s Day in 1953 he decided he would marry that girl in the beautiful red dress. They would go on to celebrate over 56 years of marriage prior to her death in 2009.
During the late 1960s, while working in the civil service, he and his family were transferred to Utah, where they lived for many years. In the first class of deacons, Deacon Conniff was ordained on December 26, 1976 at the Cathedral of the Madeleine by Bishop Joseph Lennox Federal. He served at Saint Joseph Parish until his retirement in 2011.
He retired in the mid-1990s from Hill Air Force Base as a management analyst for the United States government. His favorite pastimes were fishing, rodeos, bowling and Bingo. He was a member of St. Joseph Parish for over 30 years. After his move to Valdosta, Georgia in the late 2000s, he was a member of St. John the Evangelist Parish.
Survivors include eight children: Theresa L. Novak (Mark) of Tucson, Arizona; John S. Conniff (Janey) of Seattle, Washington; Catherine T. Tucker (Donnie) of Lake Park, Georgia; Felix T. Conniff (Lori) of Tacoma, Washington; Barbara D. Robinson of Oakland, California; Daniel M. Conniff (Jennifer) of San Jose, California; Leonard J. Conniff of San Francisco, California; and David R. Conniff of Ogden, Utah. Also surviving are 24 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
A funeral Mass for Deacon Conniff was celebrated June 22 at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Valdosta, Georgia. A second funeral Mass will be celebrated at Saint Joseph Catholic Church, 506 24th St., Ogden, July 19 at 11 a.m. Deacon Conniff will be laid to rest at Ogden City Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Disabled American Veterans at www.dav.com or 3725 Alexandria Pike, Cold Springs, KY 41076.
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