Carol Ann Conroy

September 21, 1953 - December 13, 2020

Beloved friend, cherished sister, aunt, great aunt, and cousin, Carol passed away on Sunday, December 13, 2020. Carol was devoted to her family and friends and was a source of strength, support, inspiration, guidance and unconditional love to all whose lives she touched. A beautiful soul with a huge heart, she always lent a helping hand, giving so much but never asking for anything in return.

Born in San Francisco, Carol was the daughter of San Francisco natives, Maureen and Bill Conroy ( SFPD Captain and attorney), granddaughter of Mae and Joe Green ( SFPD) and Julia and John Conroy ( SFPD Lieutenant/ POA President). She is survived by her three sisters, Kathleen Famulener, Peggy Burnham and Annemarie Conroy, her nieces and nephews Conor Famulener, Megan Gust and DeWitt and Darcy Burnham; her two greatnieces, Sydney Famulener and Juliet Gust; and her 18 Conroy, Brady, Cullinan and Peck first cousins and their children.

Carol attended St. Stephen School and St. Rose Academy in San Francisco where she made lifelong friends, City College of SF, and UC Berkeley.

Carol was intensely proud of her Irish heritage and her family’s long history of public and community service. Inspired by her father’s dedication to law enforcement and her mother’s to neighborhood activism, Carol was committed to both community and civic service. She enjoyed a prestigious, lifelong career of civil service with the postal service and began her extensive career with the U. S. Postal Service in 1973. She proceeded to serve in a succession of managerial positions in the cities of San Francisco, San Carlos, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Daly City and Western Region Headquarters. In 1988, Carol was selected as Postmaster of San Mateo to replace the legendary James J. Kehoe, appointed by President Harry Truman in 1946, thus making her not only the youngest but also the first woman to assume command of one of the Bay Area’s largest Postal facilities. In 2005, Carol assumed the command of the country’s third largest Postal operation when she was sworn in as Postmaster of San Diego, later achieving record- breaking levels of performance in service, safety and efficiency before returning to her beloved

San Mateo Post Office in January 2009.

A natural born leader, brilliant political strategist, exceptionally skilled writer, and amazing mentor, Carol was a “behind the scenes” mover and shaker who leaves a legacy of excellence and incomparable professional and personal accomplishments.

Carol’s devotion to service included serving on multiple nonprofit boards including as Director of Community Gatepath, Chair for the San Mateo County Heartwalk, Officer and President of the San Mateo County Expo Center, and the Board of Directors of the San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce and she proudly followed in her mother’s footsteps by serving as Chair of her county’s Grand Jury. Carol was passionate about helping our youth succeed and since 2009 served as both the Chair and a member of the San Mateo Police Activities League Board of Directors and more recently as a Director on the Board of the Carl Gellert and Celia Berta Gellert Foundation.

A Patriot who passionately loved her country, Carol’s life was influenced by the motto “duty, honor, country” as well as a passion for “good food, fine wine, and everything golf”! She was a connoisseur of life, avid traveler, crime aficionado, SF Giants devotee, and Mickey Mouse’s greatest fan!

It is difficult to capture the essence of Carol. She was one of those rare, special people— charismatic, unpretentious, authentic, and influential. She had a magnetic aura that attracted people of all kinds and ages from children to adults.

Intuitive, creative and articulate, Carol will be remembered for her keen wit, fierce loyalty and devotion to friends, her selfless nature, and her ability to outdrive most men on the golf course!