Florence Elizabeth Conley's Obituary
World World II veteran, Florence Elizabeth Conley died April 8, one day after her 102 birthday. Her passing caused a solar eclipse. Florence was born in Jersey City to Patrick and Bertha “Kitty” Murtagh on April 7, 1922. She lived in Jersey City throughout her childhood and into her young adult years. Her childhood memories included many memories of Salvation Army meetings in her multi-generational house with her maternal grandfather, Major Thomas Marshall. He was Personal Secretary to General William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army and later Marshall was attached to the U.S. headquarters of the Salvation Army. After high school she attended a local business college and became an executive secretary in NYC. In December 1944, Florence quit her job to join the Navy because she believed she could help win the war. She trained at the Air Controllers School in Atlanta, Georgia and was assigned to Navy “Air” in Lake City, Florida and then onto manning the Control Tower at a base in Cocoa Beach Florida.
At the end of the war, she returned to Jersey City and once again worked in NYC. Her job gave her the opportunity to meet many interesting people, including the former king of England.
Florence married an advertising executive, Russell E. Conley on December 28, 1946, settling in West Collingswood, NJ and later in Cross Keys, NJ. Florence discovered her love of cooking, gardening and still life painting. When Russell died in1970 she re-entered the workforce at the Delaware River Port Authority in Camden NJ. Upon retirement in 1978, she moved to San Diego, CA and became active in fund raising for the arts and joined the sailing community where she became a timer for the America’s Cup races.
Florence moved back to the east coast in 2005 and settled in Annapolis to be near her sons. She is survived by her sons Robert and Jeffrey (Joyce); grandsons Jeffrey (Maricarmen) and Marc; and great-grandson Matteo. She was preceded in death by her sister Margaret Vercruysse.
A Celebration of Life will be April 27, 11 AM, at Calvary United Methodist Church, Annapolis. In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to United Women in Faith, Backpack Buddies, 301 Rowe Blvd., Annapolis, MD 21401.
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