Robert J. Conroy

Robert Joseph Conroy, born May 6, 1931, to the late Martin and Ethelyn (McGill) Conroy, passed away peacefully on July 17, 2025.

Bob was raised in Toledo. Bob’s father was a travel account auditor, which allowed the family to travel to the East Coast and the Midwest during the summers. At age 14, he began working at a pharmacy, delivering medications and manning the soda counter, where he learned to make his favorite Boston Coolers.

Bob graduated from Scott High School in 1949, where he played the trumpet and French horn in the marching band. He enlisted in the Navy in 1951, serving during the Korean War on the destroyer USS Strong. Following his service, he attended the University of Toledo and earned a degree in business administration, finishing in the top 10 of his class. He was a member of the Alpha Sigma Phi fraternity and played in the marching band.

Bob was a pioneer in the computer world and shared many memories of early computers so large that they filled an entire room, with memory capacities measured in KB. He worked at Owens-Corning Fiberglass and helped install several systems, such as the RCA 501, the first transistorized computer. He had many stories concerning the ups and downs of early programming using COBAL and occasionally FORTRAN languages.

An entrepreneur for a time, Bob was a founding partner of Gourmet Curiosities, a retail gourmet kitchen supply store, located at the old Starlight Plaza.

In 1980, Bob married Wanda Rooker. He retired from Owens-Corning Fiberglas in 1986 as Director of Corporate Systems. After retirement, he and Wanda enjoyed traveling to Florida and the Carolinas, as well as spending time at their cottage in Coldwater Lake, Michigan.

Fishing, swimming, and watching classic Western movies were just a few of Bob’s favorite pastimes.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, and brother, William. He is survived by his wife, Wanda; daughter, Cathy (Tim) Shirley; stepchildren, Connie (John) Lincoln, Dean (Kathy) Rooker; grandchildren, Brian (Krista), Kyle, Erin (Michael); step grandchildren, Christopher (Stephanie), Bryan, John II (MacKenzie) and Alex (Rachael); and 9 great grandchildren.

A visitation will be held at Walker Funeral Home (5155 W. Sylvania Ave.) on Monday, July 28, 2025, from 10 am – 12 pm, with a memorial service beginning at 12 pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions be made to Hospice of NW Ohio or Tunnel to Towers.

The family wishes to express their sincere gratitude to the staff of Kingston Residence of Sylvania and Hospice of NW Ohio for their outstanding care.