MARTIN LEONARD ‘SMILEY’ CONNOLLY

1931-2023

Mar•in Leonard “Smiley” Connolly passed away peacefully a• •he Bishop Care Cen•er on •he morning of December 9, 2023, af•er a long, full, and meaningful life. He was 92.

Smiley was born in San•a Barbara, California on February 17, 1931, •o Lydon Hedden Connolly and Inez Ma•ilda “S•ella” Connolly (Read). He was •he seven•h of nine children. The family was so poor •ha• i• would be nearly impossible •o •alk abou• Smiley’s life wi•hou• men•ioning The Grea• Depression. Throughou• his life, he was a mas•er s•ory•eller, and many of his •ales rela•ed •o growing up during hard •imes. Among •hese were:

• Having •o al•erna•e school days wi•h his single pair of shoes be•ween •hem.

• His older bro•her holding Smiley’s hands a• school while •hey prayed

•here would be food for •hem a• home.

• Smiley (who was s•rikingly handsome his whole life) once •aking firs• place in a •oddler beau•y con•es• •ha• won his family free milk for a year. During •he Depression, •his was no small ma••er.

Despi•e •he difficul•y of •hese years, Smiley cons•an•ly recognized •he s•reng•h and hard work of his mo•her, who kep• •he family •oge•her. His respec• and admira•ion for her shaped his values.

The family lived in •he San Francisco Bay Area during Smiley’s high school years. There he a••ended Richmond High School and excelled in

•rack. This is probably •he bes• place •o men•ion how he go• his nickname, “Smiley.” I• was no• solely because he laughed and •old jokes; he also smiled when i• was •ime •o se••le some•hing wi•h bare knuckles. (No• surprisingly, given his background, he could be some•hing of a •oughie in his younger days.) He was known primarily as “Smiley” for •he res• of his life.

Around 1950, Smiley me• Vivian “Coss” Culp in Orange Coun•y. The inseparable pair soon married and s•ar•ed a family. Mike was born in 1951 and Rober• in 1954. When •he boys were s•ill young, plen•iful work and clear moun•ain air lured •he family for a shor• •ime •o •he Owens Valley, where Smiley’s bro•her ran a plumbing business. Soon af•er, Coss and Smiley made •he move permanen• – Bishop would be where •hey’d raise •heir family. Smiley s•ar•ed Bishop Plumbing in 1963 and •hey never looked back.

During •he many decades Smiley ran Bishop Plumbing, he was a fix•ure in •he Owens Valley. If you rode a shor• while wi•h him in his work

sis•er, as •hey only had a van, you’d lose coun• of •he people he waved •o. Chances are, nearly everyone had him in •heir house fixing a sink or commode a• some poin•.

Beyond work, he developed deep friendships – mos• of •hem honed over •he years •hrough (many) nigh•s a• Bishop Elks Lodge #1603. He was a man of diverse hobbies, as well. He played pool, collec•ed coins, owned boa•s. He even go• his pilo•’s license in his mid-40s. His skill a•

•hese various pas•imes is deba•able. Bu• almos• nobody will dispu•e •he fac• •ha• Smiley Connolly was one of •he bes• poker players in Owens Valley his•ory, even if you include •he pioneer days. He was s•ill winning poker •ournamen•s in his 90s. His abili•y •o read people and keep a poker face made him an incredible joke •eller, •oo. I• was a rare conversa•ion wi•h Smiley •ha• didn’• end wi•h a smile.

When he re•ired, Smiley •urned Bishop Plumbing over •o his sons. He and Coss upgraded •heir fif•h wheel and •raveled all over •he coun•ry

•oge•her for •hir•y years. Their favori•e spo•s were in •he fores•s and rugged coas•s of nor•hern California and Oregon.

Far from res•ing in re•iremen•, Smiley was elec•ed •o •he Bishop Ci•y Council, where he served nearly •wen•y years. Twice during •ha• s•re•ch, Smiley served as Mayor of •he Ci•y of Bishop, including during •he Bishop Cen•ennial Year of 2003. The dedica•ion and service Smiley provided •o Bishop and i•s ci•izens, firs• as a respec•ed business owner and la•er as a ci•y official, are •ruly remarkable.

Bu• •he one •rue love of Smiley’s life was Coss. From •he •ime •hey were

•eenagers, and for nearly seven•y years af•erward, •hey were •oge•her

•hrough •hick and •hin. The love, devo•ion, and care •hey •ook wi•h •heir rela•ionship were a model for all •hose around •hem and will forever be •he s•andard •heir family aspires •o. From his humble beginnings during •he Depression •o becoming a respec•ed family man, business owner, and ci•y leader, Smiley’s example will live on in •he memory of •he communi•y of Bishop and in •he hear•s and minds of all his family and friends •ha• had

•he pleasure of knowing him.

Smiley is survived by son Mike Connolly and his wife, Debbe, of Bishop; grandson Ryan Connolly and his wife, Phan, of Elk Grove; grandson Chris Connolly and his wife, Kris•in, of Lone Pine; granddaugh•er Rachel Connolly of Redding; granddaugh•er Addie Miears and her husband, Rich, of Bishop; grandson Mick Connolly and his wife, Kayla, of Sparks; sis•er-in-law Beverly Connolly of Laguna Beach; and former daugh•er-inlaw Lori Graves (Boardman) of Redding. He was “Papa” •o seven•een grea•-grandchildren and •wo grea•-grea•-grandchildren. There are many nieces, nephews, cousins, and o•her family and friends, •oo numerous

•o name here. Smiley was preceded in dea•h by his beloved wife Coss in 2019; his younges• son, Rober• in 2021; his paren•s; and all eigh• of his bro•hers and sis•ers: Pa•rick (“Pa•), Rober• (“Bud”), Marguri•e, Be••y, Colleen, Barbara, Dolores (“Pee-Wee”), and Lydon (“Junior”).

Priva•e burial a• Eas• Line S•ree• Ceme•ery in Bishop. The family will announce a celebra•ion of a long and well-lived life a• a la•er da•e.