Conrad John Kronholm Jr.

Conrad John Kronholm, Jr. was born on March 31, 1929, followed by his brother Marshall on October 4, 1931, quite a responsibility for their parents, a young couple who would soon be experiencing the Great Depression. In his own words:



“We lived in a two-family house in New Britain, Connecticut until the company my father worked for went out of business. We moved in with my maiden great aunt on my mother’s side, Annie Daly, who lived on a farm in East Hampton. She was a wonderful woman to take us on. We had plenty of food and wood for the furnace. There was no running water inside the house, but there was a pump outside the kitchen door. Uncle Mike Daly had a dairy farm just up the road, so we had milk, cheese, butter and the best homemade ice cream. We were lucky to have family.


Things got better in the 40s and we moved to West Hartford. My parents decided I needed to go away to school due to poor grades at the local high school. The Salisbury School, its headmaster, George Langdon, and my parents changed my life. I went on to graduate from Brown University and the University of Connecticut School of Law after being honorably discharged from the United Stated Marine Corps.

I graduated from law school but failed the bar exam on my first try so went into the insurance business. Passing the bar helped my pride but I decided to stay in the insurance business. I was happy there.


I have been happily married for many years to my wife Kathleen, whom I love dearly. I am survived by my oldest and best friend, my brother, Marshall Kronholm and his wife Chris. I’ve been blessed by my daughter Bailey McGee and her late husband Barry, and my sons Eric and Justin and Justin’s wife Candace. My son John left me a long time ago. So sad.


I love my grandchildren, John Lucey, Simone and Lucian Kronholm, Hanna, Colin and Marina Kronholm, and Charlotte and Esme Kronholm.


My wife’s three children, Gretchen Glick and her husband Lt. Col. J.C. Glick, Ret., Eric Norden and his wife Jennifer, and Elizabeth Mishurda and her husband Neil, have all been great to me and I love them and their children, Casey, Corbett and Stephen Glick, Nathaniel Norden, and Luca, Max and Bode Mishurda.


I also love my Godchildren, John Kennelly and Andrew Campbell.


Good bye to my loving wife, children, grandchildren, step children and step grandchildren – to all my family and my friends. I would list you all but I would certainly forget some, and that would be a terrible mistake.


As a Rabbi once said at a funeral service that I attended: “What we all want is to be remembered fondly.” Truer words were never spoken. I hope you all do.”



Connie was an avid philanthropist, entrepreneur, art collector, epicurean, and armchair politician. A true Nutmegger, he loved his home with Kathy and his beloved bouvier Lola in Old Lyme near the Lieutenant River, and spoke fondly and frequently of his years spent with family in Hartford and West Hartford, at the beach in GLP, and on the farm in East Haddam. Quick with a story and never hesitant to impart sage advice, Connie was a force to be reckoned with in the best of ways – wise, well-regarded and well-loved.

Connie died peacefully at home with his family on July 24, 2015 from lung cancer. The doctors and nurses at Yale and his family did all they could to help him get better and recover. It was not meant to be. He will be remembered with the greatest of fondness as a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend.

Connie’s family would like to express their sincerest gratitude for the care given by Hospice Care of Middlesex, and Help With a Heart.

Donations in his memory may be made to the children’s wing at Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale or Shriners Children’s Hospital. As Connie always said, it was one thing to get cancer at 85, but a true tragedy to face this battle at a young age.

Calling hours will be on Thursday, July 30, 2015 at Saint Ann's Episcopal Church, 82 Shore Rd., Old Lyme in the Griswold room, from 4 until 7 PM. A Funeral Service will be held on Friday, July 31, 2015 in St. Ann's Episcopal Church at 11 AM.

Please visit www.fultontherouxoldlyme.com for photos, tributes, directions, and more service information.