William L. Conners

Conners, William L., Col., US Marine Corps (Ret). Colonel William L. Conners, US Marine Corps (Retired), beloved husband of Joan Beattie Conners of Orange, Dec 5, 2013 died peacefully at home with his family. Colonel Conners was born in West Haven, CT Sept 21, 1929 and was raised in Orange. He was the son of Florence Buckholz Conners and R. George Conners. He enlisted in the Navy in 1948, went to Naval Flight School, and after graduation joined the Marines as a fighter pilot. He served in the Korean War in 1950. After 11 years of active duty, while remaining in the Marine Reserves, he used the GI Bill to attend college. Graduating in 1962, he began work as an engineer with Southern New England Telephone Company, where he worked until he retired in 1991. During his civilian life in Orange he coached Little League baseball, girls’ softball, and basketball. He was a member of Holy Infant Church and American Legion Post 127. He was a founding member of the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation. Besides his wife of 58 years he is survived by his sister, Jeanne C. Dardis; sister-in-law Frances B. Shepherd; his beloved children Dr. Mary Conners Ashmore of Madison, Dr. Frances A. Conners of Tuscaloosa, AL, Anne F. Conners of Milford, William L. Conners, Jr. of Bethany, Jennifer Conners Antalik of Orange, and John R. Conners of New York, NY; sons-in-law Dr. James Hamilton, Dr. Keith Lawrence, and Michael Antalik; daughters-in-law Pia Conners and Kirche Zeile; grandchildren Gillian Lawrence, Doug Hamilton, Lucy Hamilton, Maeve Ashmore, Libby Antalik, Tim Antalik, Liam Conners, Ethan Conners, and Elaria Conners; and many nieces and nephews. A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated in Holy Infant Church in Orange on Thursday Dec 12 at 10:00 am. Friends are encouraged to go directly to the church. Burial with military honors will follow at St. Lawrence Cemetery in West Haven. Friends may call at Sisk Brothers Funeral Home, 3105 Whitney Ave. in Hamden on Wednesday Dec 11, 4 - 7 pm. In lieu of flowers please send memorial donations to The Parkinson’s Research Foundation, 5969 Cattleridge Blvd Suite 100, Sarasota, FL 34232 or The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, 909 North Washington St Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 21433. The family would like to thank the Orange Visiting Nurse Association and Vitas Innovative Hospice Care for their care and kindness during this time. www.siskbrothers.com

William L. Conners

September 21, 1929 - December 5, 2013