Richard F. Conlin

The Rev. Mr. Richard Francis Conlin, 91, died Saturday, Aug. 13, 2016, at ShorePointe Village Assisted Living in St. Clair Shores. He was born Jan. 31, 1925, in Highland Park. He graduated from St. Benedict High School and attended Highland Park Junior College for one year. He played basketball at both schools. He was drafted and served in the U.S. Navy on the USS Terror in the Pacific. After military service, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in commerce and finance from the University of Detroit in 1952. On Jan. 21, 1956, he married Patricia Ann Henkel at Shrine of the Little Flower Catholic Church, Royal Oak. Mr. Conlin worked for the Michigan Department of Transportation for 30 years as a right-of-way agent purchasing parcels of land to allow for roadway expansion. He retired in 1990 for only a few months, then worked as a consultant for JCK & Associates from 1990 to 2000. Mr. Conlin studied with the first class of married deacons at the Archdiocese of Detroit. He was ordained a permanent deacon Jan. 20, 1972, at St. Benedict. He assisted at every Mass at St. Benedict from 1972 to 2000. He also assisted at daily Mass at Our Lady of Sorrows from 1990 to 2010. At the time of his death, he was the oldest living deacon in the Archdiocese of Detroit. Mr. Conlin was active in his community, serving on the Highland Park school board from 1976 to 1988, Old Newsboys-Goodfellows, Neighborhood Advisory Council and as an elected delegate for Highland Park and Farmington Hills, after moving there in 1990. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, a scoutmaster with Boy Scouts of America and volunteered with Meals on Wheels. In 2001, Mr. Conlin graduated from Barnum & Bailey Clown School. He became a clown to put a smile on the face of those in nursing homes. He enjoyed beekeeping, gardening, baking and selling lemon meringue pies. He was an avid Detroit Tigers and Lions fan. Mr. Conlin is survived by his children, Christopher (Jill), Daniel (Jackie), Thomas, Mary Kneiser (Ron), Elizabeth and William (Crystal); grandchildren, Kathleen (Ted), Matthew, Steven, Patrick and Paul and sister, Eva Urbank. He was predeceased by his wife, Patricia, in 1998; parents, Arthur James Conlin and Gladys Gertrude Smith Conlin and sisters, Margaret Conlin S.S.J. and Patricia Teiper. Visitation will be 3 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 18, at A.H. Peters Funeral Home, 20705 Mack, Grosse Pointe Woods. Rosary recitation is at 7 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 19, at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, 23815 Power, Farmington. Visitation begins at 9:30 a.m. at the church. Donations may be made to Congregation of St. Joseph at csjoseph.org or Sacred Heart Seminary at shms.edu/content/support-sacred-heart.

Funeral Home:

A. H. Peters Funeral Home of Grosse Pointe Woods

20705 Mack

Grosse Pointe Woods, MI

US 48236