William Patrick Conlin, Jr.

William Patrick Conlin, Jr. 82, died September 1, 2016 at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, CA from complications related to recent health issues. His family was with him at the time of his death. Born in Gardner, MA he was raised primarily by his maternal grandparents Mary and John Helow, immigrants from Lebanon. His paternal grandparents Anna and Patrick Conlin were immigrants from Ireland. He is predeceased by his mother Norah (Helow), stepfather George Patriquin and son William John Conlin. He is survived by his wife Laila (Strott), brother George Patriquin, daughter Margo Conlin, son and daughter-in-law Patrick and Jane Conlin; grandchildren William, Timothy, Daniel and Laila Broughton, Claire and Benjamin Conlin, and great-grandchildren Jack and Olivia Broughton. A graduate of Gardner High School Class of ‘51, he enjoyed all sports and excelled in track and cross country, continuing to compete at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst where he received a Bachelor of Business Administration. He later earned an MBA in Finance from UC Berkeley. Bill served in the US Marine Corps, 1953-56. At the end of hostilities in Korea he participated in Operation Comeback, transporting 14,600 anti-communist Chinese POWs from Korea to political freedom in Formosa (Taiwan). Later assigned to the naval base at New London, CT he was part of the Military Police at the first atomic submarine base. During this time he met his future wife and they were happily married for 59 years. Bill began a successful career in the computer industry at Burroughs Corporation in 1960. After rising to the highest levels of executive leadership at Burroughs he joined CalComp in Anaheim, CA as President and CEO. He was instrumental in the 1986 restoration of the Statue of Liberty raising $5 million and providing CalComp’s CAD systems for detailed engineering analysis and restoration planning. Throughout his career he served on the board of directors for many local and national corporations in the technology industry, most recently LCPTracker of Orange. He was a mentor to many. He was a dedicated supporter of the community and the arts, serving as both the President and a Director of the Orange County Philharmonic Society, a Director of the OC Council of the Boy Scouts of America and a founding member of the Chancellor’s Committee at UC Irvine. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, September 13, 2016 at 1 P.M. in the Lamoureux-Fletcher & Smith Funeral Home 105 Central St., Gardner. Burial will be at Pine Grove Cemetery in Templeton. A visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 13, 2016 from 12:30-1 P.M. in the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to the OC Philharmonic Society, The Pacific Symphony, or The Segerstrom Center for The Arts. Lamoureux-Fletcher & Smith Funeral Home 105 Central St., Gardner is directing arrangements.