Yvonne Irene Conroy

On Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020, Yvonne Irene Conroy, loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, passed away at the age of 79. She was a lifelong resident of Dunmore, Pa.

Vonnie, as she was known, was born on June 13, 1941, to William and Eugenia (Straff) Phillips. She graduated from Dunmore High School and then worked in the record department of Towers. She met her future husband, Edward Conroy, in the hospital where their dads were sharing a room. They married on Oct. 7, 1961. They raised three daughters, Karen, Christine, and Kathy.

Vonnie was an avid camper and with her husband, Ed, they spent many a wonderful weekend cooking outdoors, fishing and sitting around the campfire with their best friends, Ruth and Jim.

Later, she loved to travel with all the comforts of staying at hotels. Her many travels with Ed and her best buddy, Jeannie Pasko and her husband, Paul culminated in a trip across the country, seeing the many sights and making memories that lasted her lifetime.

If anyone was meant to be a grandmother, it was Vonnie. She loved every minute of being with her grandchildren and cheering them on in any activities they participated in. She was proud of every one of them and was delighted when they called or stopped in to visit her. She was especially happy when she met and was able to hold her great-granddaughter Isla. Vonnie also had no problem collecting unofficial grandkids, little ones and big ones who gravitated to the genuine warmth, comfort, and interest she showed to them.

Many family and friends will recall her laugh. Even in a crowded room, you could hear her laugh and know who it was.

Later in life when arthritis had robbed her of her strength and dexterity, she became the “supervisor.” She would oversee the annual making of the nutroll for Christmas as well as the pierogi, horseradish relish and various cookies. She could supervise anything from gardening to fixing a deck. She made a wonderful supervisor and foreman.

She will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Vonnie is survived by her husband of 59 years, Ed; her daughters, Karen Phillips and husband, Doug, Caledonia, Mich.; Christine Beck and husband, Scott, Dunmore; and Kathy Walsh and husband Joe, Dunmore. Vonnie’s grandchildren include Luke Phillips, Michelle Beck, John Kolcharno, Katelyn Fielder, Michael Kolcharno, Aaron Beck, and Rylee Walsh, as well as two step-grandchildren, Sarah Evans and Jessica Biesemeyer. Vonnie also leaves behind her great-grandchildren, Christopher Biesemeyer, Gabriel Biesemeyer, Taylor Evans and Isla Kolcharno. She is also missed by JD, her faithful four-legged rescue companion.

She was predeceased by her brothers, William Phillips, Eugene Phillips, and Alfred Phillips, and sister, Doris Riccardo.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Blue Chip Farm Animal Refuge, 974 Lockville Road, Dallas PA 18612.

The family would like to thank Yvonne’s physician, Dr. Julie Speicher; the visiting nurses and therapists from Traditional Home Health; Dr. Nalini Kakimallaiah and her team at Moses Taylor Hospital and the ICU nurses that treated Yvonne with such care and compassion.

A private service will be held at Dunmore United Methodist Church, Dunmore.

Inurnment will be at a later date in Fairview Memorial Park, Elmhurst.

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