Lawrence Conlin, 22-year Ridgefielder

Lawrence F. Conlin of North Valley Road, a retired IBM employee and longtime Ridgefielder, died on Monday, Sept. 29, as a result of a car accident on Route 7 in Danbury. He was 71 years old and the husband of Suzanne Perrotta Conlin.
A native of Jersey City, N.J., Mr. Conlin was born on July 30, 1932 to Edward and Helen Conlin. He grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., the eldest of eight children, and was a graduate and active alumnus of St. Michael's High School there. He attended Brooklyn College before serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean Conflict at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C. He later graduated from St. John's University in Brooklyn.
Mr. Conlin had worked as a business planning manager at IBM for 27 years, retiring in December 1989. He and his wife met at IBM in North Tarrytown, N.Y., and were married in 1981 in Katonah.
After retiring from IBM, Mr. Conlin worked for several years during tax season for H&R Block in Ridgefield, where he was an enrolled agent. During tax season he volunteered for the IRS to help senior citizens with their tax returns, both in Ridgefield and in Danbury.
In Ridgefield, where he had lived for 22 years, Mr. Conlin was active in the Ridgefield Men’s Club and at Founder’s Hall.
He is a former member of Ridgefield Democratic Town Committee and belonged to Sacred Heart Church in Georgetown.
He enjoyed reading, doing crossword puzzles and gardening.
"Larry was a good friend, a good neighbor, a great dad, and an even better 'Gramps,' and a wonderful, wonderful husband," his family said. "He will be greatly missed by all of us."
Besides his wife, Mr. Conlin is survived by five children and two stepchildren: Rose Conlin of Ossining, N.Y., Lawrence H. Conlin of Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., William G. Conlin of Somers, N.Y., Nancy Joyce of Purdys, N.Y., Ellen Cardello of Tarrytown, N.Y., Mark V. Mansa of Bethel, and Christopher J. Mansa of Mahopac, N.Y.; 12 grandchildren, Ryan, Christina and Alexa Mansa, Victoria and Mark Mansa, Kelly, Dana, and Emma Conlin, Billy and Kaila Conlin, and Brian and Mackenzie Joyce; two brothers, Edward J. Conlin of Montclair, N.J., and Richard T. Conlin of Rockland City, N.Y.; and two sisters, Margaret M. Jones of West Orange, N.J., and Joan E. Fowler of Largo, Fla.
Three brothers died before him: Daniel J. Conlin of Chicago, the Rev. Robert J. Conlin of Tampa, Fla., and the Rev. Raymond E. Conlin of Clifton, N.J.
Father Joseph Joachim, pastor, will celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, Oct. 3, at 11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, Church Street, Georgetown.
Friends may call at the Bouton Funeral Home, West Church Street, in Georgetown on Thursday from 3 to 5 and 7 to 9.
Contributions in his memory may be made to Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, 1275 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021; Congregation of Notre Dame, 223 West Mountain Road, Ridgefield 06877; or Sacred Heart Church, Church Street, Georgetown 06829.