Sylvester Conley

Starting with the usual vital statistics, Sylvester (Sy) Conley was born in Montalba, Texas on December 9, 1945 to parents, Wash and Millie Conley. Sy joined God’s Angel Army on Sunday morning, October 21, 2018. He was 72.

Nothing else that followed in his life was USUAL. His parents instilled the values of Faith, Finances and Service in Sy and his eight siblings. Sy was the youngest, a status that brought with it many stresses; he also had red hair – which brought along its own problems. Like his other family members, Sy received his early education at Providence School where the primary grades were housed in a single building that still stands today. Many young “foes” attempted to bully him or steal his lunch, but they soon learned that the little redhead was a mighty fighter! In high school, he excelled in football, basketball and track – graduating from AM Story High School in Palestine, TX in 1964.

His plan to attend college at San Diego State was sidelined by a football injury. Undaunted, Sy took his next step, and enlisted in the United States Navy in the midst of the Vietnam War. He served two tours in Vietnam and was honorably discharged in July,1970.

Love often intervenes in men’s best plans! Sy fell in love and married Gloria Jean Pollard. Their marriage produced a son, Sean Andre, in March,1973. Tragedy struck when Gloria passed away in 1983, and Sy was faced with single parenthood. However, he was a determined and hard worker who took on a number of interesting jobs to provide his son with a private school education and a university degree: Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine, Tarrant County District Court, and finally he landed a position at Lockheed Martin, formerly General Dynamics, where he worked some 36 years and retired as Transportation Manager in 2006.

Love appeared again! And Sy married the former Marsha Scott in a Las Vegas wedding in June,2002. The unique feature of their wedding day was that Sy’s son, Sean, married the former Barbara Tyson, just two hours later in the same venue. The men served as each other’s Best Man, and the couples celebrated together at a lavish evening reception.

Sy Conley lived a life full of challenges, obstacles and barriers. But the childhood cotton picker turned those challenges into opportunities. Sy was a family man who provided his wife and children with every necessity. His love for family inspired him to return to college late in life at Paul Quinn in Dallas, Texas, where he made the Presidential Scholars List. He and Marsha moved to Edgecliff Village, TX in 2002, where Sy was elected to the City Council and was in the middle of his fourth term when he passed. He was also active in numerous community activities, such as Edgecliff Citizens on Patrol (ECOPs), former President of Edgecliff Fellowship, chair of Texas Night Out, Contract Law Committee and other assignments, all of which fulfilled his purpose to SERVE. Until his illness, he never missed an opportunity to worship and serve the Lord at Emmanuel Prince Missionary Baptist Church, where he was ordained Senior Deacon.

A life well lived. An education from the College of True Grit and the University of Hard Knocks. A community leader. A loving husband, a father, a soldier for Jesus Christ. Sy Conley was a man in whom his Heavenly Father was well pleased.

He leaves to mourn his passing his wife of 16 years, Marsha; three children, Sean Andre Conley (Barbara), Lynn Scott-White (Dee White) and Barry Scott; six grandchildren, Destri White, Trenton Scott, Asia Scott, Alyssa White and Mason White; two sisters, Wanda Barnett and Carrie Sloan; one brother, HL Conley (Dorothy); a favorite pet, Velvet; many nieces and nephews, and a host of other relatives and friends.

Psalm 30 says, “Weeping may endure for a night, but Joy comes in the morning.” Life may be fleeting; but for the Conley family, Love never dies.