Michael James Conroy

Obituary For Michael James Conroy

Central Cremation Services respectfully announces the passing of Michael James Conroy of Athens GA, on June 19, 2025.

Michael James Conroy was born on July 5, 1952.

Dr. Michael James Conroy, age 72, passed away in Athens, Georgia on June 19, 2025, surrounded by family after a brief fight against an aggressive cancer (cholangiocarcinoma).

Mike was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, mentor, teacher, and friend to many in Athens and throughout the world. He was predeceased by his parents, James Raymond Conroy and Edith Mary Corbett Conroy, and his daughter, Laura Grace Conroy.

Mike was born July 5, 1952, in Detroit, Michigan. He learned fundamental lessons early—from navigating city life (including buying a car as a preteen), to hunting with his father on his grandfather's farm in Yale, Michigan, to developing resilience after losing his father at 10 years old.

Mike was raised in an Irish Catholic household with two younger sisters. They lived in a neighborhood of diverse backgrounds, including friends from Lutheran, Jewish, Muslim, and Catholic households, which instilled in him a lifelong interest in the people and customs of different cultures.

Mike attended the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy and then Michigan State University, where he received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in wildlife biology. He began playing guitar and exploring the music scene there, especially old-time mountain music. He continued his education at Virginia Tech, where he received his Ph.D. in forestry with a concentration in biometrics in 1979.

Mike met the love of his life, Elizabeth (Liz), in 1985 in Maryland. They were first introduced at a pub called “The Friendly Inn.” Later, they ran into each other at a music festival in Ellicott City and discovered they had many shared interests: playing guitars, visiting Civil War battlefields, canoeing, and taking hikes with Mike’s loyal dog, Maybelle. They married on March 22, 1986, in Maryland, and moved a few weeks later to Athens, where Mike began a new job at the Georgia Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit on the University of Georgia campus.

While living in Jackson County, Georgia, Mike and Liz had two daughters. He enjoyed sharing his love of travel, stargazing, science, nature, and splashing in Bear Creek with his young family. In 1998, they moved to Kenney Ridge Community in Athens, where they made many lifelong friends. In 2016, while teaching on a Fulbright in Windsor, Ontario, Mike learned that his 25-year-old daughter had died. He found solace in his family and friends who surrounded him as he worked through his grief, even as he returned to Windsor to finish his teaching there.

Over his career as a research scientist and educator, Mike built a worldwide scientific reputation and network of colleagues. He was internationally recognized for his development and application of quantitative methods to the study and management of wildlife populations, with more than 150 scholarly publications to his credit. He directed the graduate work of 13 Ph.D. and 8 master’s students, most becoming prominent scientists, educators, and conservation professionals. He was invited to present his work at worldwide venues, and his family was able to accompany him and experience the diverse cultures that fascinated Mike from an early age.

In retirement, Mike enjoyed fishing, hunting, traveling with friends and family, and playing music. In 2020, he proudly welcomed granddaughter Luna Elizabeth, and in 2024, he was thrilled at the arrival of grandson Leonardo James. His final years were filled with exploring new destinations, joining Liz at music festivals, birdwatching, kayaking, and playing with grandchildren. He loved testing new recipes, jamming with friends, restoring an old boat, and learning to play the banjo.

Mike leaves his wife, Elizabeth Ruth Conroy; a daughter and son-in-law, Mary Conroy Almada and Lorenzo Nicholas Almada; two grandchildren, Luna Elizabeth Almada and Leonardo James Almada; and sisters Patricia Jean Peters (Frank) and Elizabeth Anne Conroy.

A celebration of life will be held on September 13 in Athens, Georgia. In lieu of flowers, a meaningful way to honor Mike's memory is through a donation to one of his favored charities:

• Oconee River Land Trust
• Athens Land Trust
• Canopy Studio
• Nuçi’s Space
• The Orianne Society
• The Xerces Society

A story about Michael and his wife Elizabeth is at this link below. https://archive.storycorps.org/interviews/mby018114/
The staff of Central Cremation Services is honored to be selected to provide end-of-life services for the family of Michael James Conroy.

(If you order flowers, you must obtain a delivery address from a family member. Please do not send flowers to the crematory)