Gregory Lawrence "Greg" Conley

Greg was born on October 29, 1946, in Washington, D.C., the second of nine children born to Herbert and Joan (Whelan) Conley. His father's career with the National Security Agency took the family between Arlington, Virginia; Tokyo, Japan; and Wheaton, Maryland. As a boy, Greg served as a U.S. Capitol Page in the office of Representative John C. Watts of Kentucky.

Greg graduated from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in 1963 at the age of only 16 - a fact he never let his kids forget! He went on to earn a bachelor's degree in physics from Georgetown University in 1967, followed by a master's in physics from the University of Minnesota in 1970.

In 1970, Greg joined a Catholic mission as a lay educator. During orientation in London, he met Marion (née Hopkinson), who noticed that Greg stood out immediately—the sole American in the room, wearing a v-neck undershirt showing beneath his open collar! They married in Uganda on April 18, 1972, and welcomed two daughters - Laura in England (1973) and Caroline in Malawi (1976) - while moving between Africa, England, and the U.S. before ending his teaching career and settling back in Maryland in 1983.

Like his father, Greg built a career at the NSA, with postings that took the family to RAF Edzell, Alice Springs in Australia, and RAF Menwith Hill. Sons Liam (1987, Scotland) and Thomas (1990, Maryland) were born during these years. He was an chess enthusiast, a summer swimmer, and a regular badminton player.

Greg was a devoted father and grandfather. Cherished memories with family include swimming in the ocean - often floating so far out that the grandkids could only see his hat bobbing in the waves, teaching the youngsters about astronomy on dark nights with his telescope, and chasing them with his famous “Tiger Bites.” If he caught you in the pool you would be thrown into Davy Jones’s Locker! He believed strongly in the importance of education and he played an active role in supporting his children and grandchildren’s education - with many late night tutoring sessions.

He retired from the NSA in 2018 and remained active with Georgetown alumni organization, and the local chess club where he preferred to spectate and mentor young players still developing their game - always more interested in helping others than himself. He was a regular at St. Louis Catholic Church in Clarksville, where Marion taught for many years. He also kept busy as a gym rat, he was fondly known as the “blue jeans Greg”.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Herbert and Joan; his brothers, Kevin and Mark; and his beloved cousin, Bob Conley.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Marion; his children, Laura Rose (Trevor), Caroline Neal (Jay), Liam (Casey), and Thomas; and his nine grandchildren: Sydney, Rian, Mekhi, & Grant Neal; Amelia and Evelyn Rose; Jesse Gresh; Kade and Campbell Conley. He is also survived by his sisters, Cathleen Young (David), Maura (Jerry), and Kim (John); his brothers, Father Rory, Breffny, and Patrick; and many extended family members.

A funeral mass will be held at St. Louis Catholic Church, 12500 Clarksville Pike, Clarksville, MD 21029, on Friday, August 28, 2026, at 10:00 AM. The committal will follow at St. Louis Cemetery.

A reception to celebrate Greg's life will immediately follow the committal at Victoria Gastro Pub.