HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 11

(By Delegates P. Smith, Ashley and Overington

on Behalf of all Members of the House)

[Introduced February 17, 2014.]

Commemorating the life of the Honorable Robert J. Conley, educator, ardent conservative and public servant.

    Whereas, The Honorable Robert J. Conley was born on July 5, 1929, in Jordanville, Lewis County, West Virginia, the son of the late Ernest Gregory Conley and Opal Greenlief Conley. He was a fourth generation great-grandson of John Hacker, the first pioneer settler in Lewis County; and

    Whereas, Robert J. Conley graduated from Glenville State College and did graduate study in Political Science and Criminology at West Virginia University and American University in Washington, DC. In addition, he was a participant in the Robert A. Taft Government Study Foundation; and

    Whereas, Robert J. Conley taught English and History at the old Weston Junior High School; and

    Whereas, Robert J. Conley was first elected to the House of Delegates in 1980 and reelected in 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, and 1990. He won every election by an overwhelming majority and usually received the highest percentage of votes of any candidate in the state; and

    Whereas, During his twelve years in the House of Delegates, Delegate Conley was an ardent leader of the conservatives. He never voted for a tax increase and would often say, “I never saw a tax increase that I liked,”; and

    Whereas, Affectionately known as “Possum” to his colleagues in the Legislature, Delegate Conley was without a doubt one of the best orators to have ever served in the House of Delegates; and

    Whereas, Following his decision not to seek reelection to the House in 1992, Robert J. Conley ran for and was elected to the Lewis County Commission; and

    Whereas, Robert J. Conley was a member of the Broad Street United Methodist Church and a former member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Loyal Order of Moose, the Lewis County Farm Bureau, the Lewis County Association of Retired School Employees and the National Rifle Association. He was also a member of the Hacker’s Creek Pioneer Descendants and the founder of the Lewis County Taxpayers Association; and

    Whereas, The Honorable Robert J. Conley was called to his heavenly home and place of rest on November 26, 2013; and

     Whereas, Robert J. Conley is survived by his twin sisters, Jean C. Jasper of Virginia Beach, Virginia, and Jane C. Kallenborn of Woodstock, Virginia, and two nieces, and a great-nephew; therefore, be it

    Resolved by the House of Delegates:

    That the House of Delegates hereby commemorates the life of the Honorable Robert J. Conley, educator, ardent conservative and public servant; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the House of Delegates hereby extends its sincere sympathy at the passing of the Honorable Robert J. Conley; and, be it

    Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a copy of this resolution to the family of the Honorable Robert J. Conley.