Michael John Conron

Michael John Conron, 82, of Ellicott City, Maryland, passed away on Tuesday, February 20, 2018.  Mike is survived by his beloved wife of 54 years, Madelyn Higgins Conron, his son Michael William Conron and his wife Gena Marie, his daughter Jennifer Conron Jackson and her husband Joe, his five grandchildren, Matthew (20), Carolyn (18), Abigail (16), Michael John (15) and Patrick (12) and his sisters Jane Conron, Marcia Conron Dow and Sister Patricia Conron, csj.

Mike was born in Portland, Maine on July 15, 1935.  The second of five siblings, Mike and his brother Francis, who died last year, grew up in a Christian Brothers orphanage in Troy, New York.  Mike graduated from high school at the La Salle Institute two years early and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1954.  After his military service, he put himself through school and earned his BBA from Siena College.  After college, he moved to New Jersey where he met Madelyn.  They were married in 1963 and moved to Maryland in 1970.  He earned his MBA from Loyola College in the 1970’s. 

Mike was a career accountant and financial executive.  He worked at companies such as Bendix and Becton Dickenson in positions of increasing responsibility before ending his career as Chief Financial Officer at two Baltimore manufacturing companies.

Mike and Madelyn raised their family in Phoenix, Maryland where Mike was on the parish council and a member of the Knights of Columbus at St. John the Evangelist Church in Hydes, Maryland.  A devoted father, Mike and Madelyn worked tirelessly to give their children every advantage, even during hard times.  They put their children through twelve years of Catholic school, college and law school.  Always present in their lives, Mike was a constant source of emotional and physical support, love and tenderness for his children.  In the extended family, no decision of any importance was ever final until his opinion was obtained.  His kindness, sense of humor and faith in God brightened the lives of all who knew him.  He had particular pride in the successes of his nieces and nephews and loved his relationship with them.  His house was always open to his nieces and nephews and a few took him up on the offer to move in for varying periods.

Mike and Madelyn retired in 2004, moved to Ellicott City and joined St. Paul’s Church, where Mike served as a lector for many years.  Mike had an especially joyous retirement because he was able to spend his free time doing the things he loved.  First among these was driving his grandchildren to activities all over town.  Whether the activity was a competitive sport, scouts, a band concert, or a dance recital, Mike was there watching the successes and providing support for the disappointments.  An ever present influence in their lives, Mike had, and continues to have, a large role in shaping their characters.

Mike also loved to travel.  With close friends in tow, he and Madelyn set out to explore the world.  They made trips in the U.S. and to many places in Europe including Italy, France, England and Spain (a two-week bus trip at age 78!).  To the exasperation of his companions, Mike could not enter a museum without reading every sign.  A curious mind, Mike wanted to learn everything about everything.  Closer to home, Mike loved to vacation with his grandchildren, sisters and close friends in the Outer Banks, Bethany Beach and Aruba where he loved lounging on the beach, swimming in the ocean and cooking his amazing Italian sauce and meatballs.  He also enjoyed Monday night poker games with his cronies at the Enclave at Ellicott Hills.  Until a month before his passing, Mike served his community as a board member and president of the community association at the Enclave. 

When you are given so much, you have so much to lose.

A visitation will be held at the Candle Light Funeral Home on Sunday, February 25th, from 1 to 4 pm.  A Roman Catholic Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday February 26th at 10:00 am at St. Paul’s Church in historic Ellicott City.  Interment will be later in the Spring at the Garrison Forest Veterans Cemetery in Owings Mills.

In lieu of flowers, charitable donations can be made in Mike’s name to

The Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet –Attention: Development
385 Watervliet-Shaker Road, Latham NY 12110
Tel: 1-518-783-3500

To plant a beautiful memorial tree in memory of Michael John Conron, please visit our Tree Store.