George Henry Conner

Dr. George Henry Conner, 94, of Cornwall, PA died at Cornwall Manor on March 1, 2026. He was a beloved father, husband, brother, cousin, friend, physician, St. Luke's Episcopal Church (Lebanon, PA) parishioner, and Manor resident. George was in independent living and in good health until his final weeks. Just as he wanted and predicted, the end came quickly and peacefully, and he kept his sharp wit until he passed.

He was born in Evanston, IL to John and Clarine Conner, and grew up in Winnetka where he attended New Trier High School. He earned his B.A. at Lake Forest College and a B.S. and M.D. at the University of Illinois in Chicago. During this time he met his wife, Dr. Betty Ross Conner. Their early collaborations included research on human papilloma viruses.

George and Betty married in 1955 in Chicago and started their family there. George's career took them to Detroit, Baltimore, back to Evanston, IL, and eventually to Lebanon, PA, where they lived for 44 years, until they moved to Cornwall Manor in 2014. Betty passed away in 2020, after nearly 65 years of a happy marriage. George was then lucky enough to find another cherished companion, Bobbie Warshaw, at Cornwall Manor.

George served in the U.S. Navy at Great Lakes Naval Hospital from 1961-1963, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander Medical Corps.

George spent the majority of his career (1973-1994) as the founding Chief of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, PA. His earlier career included positions at Great Lakes Naval Hospital (North Chicago, IL), the University of Chicago, Henry Ford Hospital and Otological Research Laboratory (Detroit, MI), Johns Hopkins (Baltimore, MD), and Rush Presbyterian-St. Lukes Medical Center (Chicago, IL). He spent some semi-retired years as Chief of Otolaryngology at the Lebanon (PA) VA Medical Center from 1993 to the early 2000s.

George helpfully provided his C.V. for the writing of this obituary, but his memberships in medical societies (20), academic appointments (13), and articles (54) were too numerous to list. Most notably, he served in many offices for the Pennsylvania Academy of Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology, researched temporal bone and laryngeal histopathology, and authored book chapters on ENT surgery and pediatric ENT care. During his tenure at Penn State, George established a full-time academic, research-oriented division and recruited outstanding faculty with the installment of a residency training program. In recognition of his invaluable impact, the Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery formed the George H. Conner Alumni Society in 2022 and named a visiting lecture series after him.

In his free time, George enjoyed photography, singing in the St. Luke's Choir, listening to music, talking politics, and spending summers on the shore of Lake Michigan with his children and grandchildren. His interest in photography provided a glimpse into his curious mind and his vast social network. His collection of photographs included landscapes both familiar and exotic, closeups of everyday beauty, views from vacations around the world, candid shots of friends and family, and visions of his beloved St. Luke's Episcopal Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother John Conner, his sister Cordelia Adams, his son Christopher Conner, and wife Betty. He is survived by his children Ross Conner of Jonestown, PA, John Conner (Karen Casebolt) of Overland Park, KS, and Sarah Conner (David Park) of Chicago, IL, grandchildren Henry and Helen Conner, and companion Bobbie.

The family is grateful for the extraordinary care he received from the Cornwall Manor staff, from the dining room to the Health Center. To remember George, please consider a gift to St. Luke's Episcopal Church, The Christopher J. Conner Memorial Scholarship at Lake Forest College, Habitat For Humanity, Cornwall Manor, or the social justice or environmental organization of your choice. A memorial service will take place on June 20, 2026 at Saint Luke's Episcopal Church, 22 S Sixth St, Lebanon, PA.