Conrad Kronholm Jr.

Old Lyme— Conrad John Kronholm Jr. was born on March 31, 1929, followed by his brother, Marshall, on Oct. 4, 1931, quite a responsibility for their parents, a young couple who would soon be experiencing the Great Depression. In his ownwords:

“We lived in a two-family house in New Britain, until the companymy father worked for went out of business. We moved in with my maiden great aunt on my mother’s side, Annie Daly, who lived on a farm in East Hampton. She was a wonderful woman to take us on. We had plenty of food and wood for the furnace. Therewas no running water inside the house, but there was a pump outside the kitchen door. Uncle Mike Daly had a dairy farm just up the road, so we had milk, cheese, butter, and the best homemade ice cream. We were lucky to have family.

Things got better in the 40s, and we moved toWest Hartford. My parents decided I needed to go away to school due to poor grades at the local high school. The Salisbury School, its headmaster George Langdon, and my parents changed my life. Iwent on to graduate fromBrown University and the University of Connecticut School of Law after being honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps.

I graduated from law school but failed the bar exam on my first try sowent into the insurance business. Passing the bar helped my pride, but I decided to stay in the insurance business. Iwas happy there.

I have been happily married for many years tomy wife, Kathleen, who I love dearly. I amsurvived bymy oldest and best friend, my brother, Marshall Kronholm and his wife, Chris. I’ve been blessed bymy daughter, Bailey McGee and her late husband, Barry, and my sons, Eric and Justin and Justin’s wife, Candace. My son John leftme a long time ago. So sad.

I lovemy grandchildren, John Lucey, Simone and Lucian Kronholm, Hanna, Colin, and Marina Kronholm, and Charlotte and Esme Kronholm.

My wife’s three children, Gretchen Glick and her husband, Lt. Col. J.C. Glick, Ret., Eric Norden and his wife, Jennifer, and Elizabeth Mishurda and her husband, Neil, have all been great to me, and I love them and their children, Casey, Corbett, and Stephen Glick, Nathaniel Norden, and Luca, Max, and Bode Mishurda.

I also lovemy godchildren, John Kennelly and Andrew Campbell.

Goodbye to my loving wife, children, grandchildren, step children, and step grandchildren— to all my family and my friends. I would list you all, but Iwould certainly forget some and that would be a terrible mistake.

As a Rabbi once said at a funeral service that I attended, ‘What we all want is to be remembered fondly.’ Truer wordswere never spoken. I hope you all do.”

Connie was an avid philanthropist, entrepreneur, art collector, epicurean, and armchair politician. A true Nutmegger, he loved his home with Kathy and his beloved bouvier, Lola, in Old Lyme, near the Lieutenant River and spoke fondly and frequently of his years spent with family in Hartford andWest Hartford, at the beach in Groton Long Point, and on the farm in East Haddam. Quick with a story and never hesitant to impart sage advice, Connie was a force to be reckoned with in the best of ways— wise, well-regarded, and well-loved.

Connie died peacefully at home with his family on July 24, 2015, fromlung cancer. The doctors and nurses at Yale and his family did all they could to help him get better and recover. It was not meant to be. He will be remembered with the greatest of fondness as a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend.

Connie’s family would like to express their sincerest gratitude for the care given by Hospice Care of Middlesex and HelpWith a Heart.

Donations in his memory may be made to the children’s wing at SmilowCancer Hospital at Yale or Shriners Children’s Hospital. As Connie always said, it was one thing to get cancer at 85, but a true tragedy to face this battle at a young age.

Calling hours will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, July 30, 2015, in the Griswold Room in St. Ann’s Episcopal Church, 82 Shore Road, Old Lyme. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, July 31, 2015, in St. Ann’s Episcopal Church.

Please visitwww.fultontherouxoldlyme.com for photos, tributes, directions, and more service information.