Joseph M. Conway Jr.

NORTH ADAMS -- Attorney Joseph Michael Conway Jr., 39, of 12 Elmwood Ave. was killed in a car accident in Staten Island, N.Y., on Sept. 3. He and his life partner, Kurt Kolok, were returning to Mr. Conway's parents' home in Staten Island when a drunken driver struck their car. Mr. Kolok sustained nonlife-threatening injuries. Mr. Conway had recently accepted a position as an adjunct professor at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.

Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Nov. 26, 1967, son of Joseph M. Conway Sr. and Patricia Danzi Conway, he earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Fordham University and his juris doctor from New York Law School in Manhattan. He was a couple of courses shy of an MBA from Columbia and was working toward a master's degree in microbiology.

Mr. Conway was a longtime staff attorney in former New York Gov. George Pataki's administration, first with the Consumer Protection Agency, then with the governor's general staff before becoming a staff lawyer with the Child Services Administration. He helped draft that state's telecommunications deregulation legislation and consumer protection legislation. He also worked on the Child Health Plus plan, which provides health insurance for uninsured children.

Besides consulting and building his own law practice focused on gay and lesbian rights, he played a key role in the development of his partner's Kolok Gallery. He also had just accepted a full-time position as a senior program manager with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers/Industry Standards and Technology Organization (IEEE-ISTO). As an attorney, he recently scored in the eighth percentile of the Massachusetts ethics exam.

He was an active member of Williamstown Congregational Church, volunteering on the stewardship and other committees. He was also a board member of the Contemporary Artist Center in 2000.

Mr. Conway enjoyed music, interior design, gardening, painting, travel, cooking, debating and reading.

Besides his partner of eight years and his parents, he leaves two brothers, Gary Conway and Patrick Conway, both of Staten Island.

FUNERAL NOTICE -- A funeral Mass for Joseph Michael Conway, who died Monday, Sept. 3, 2007, was celebrated Friday, Sept. 7, at St. Joseph's Church in Staten Island, N.Y. A local memorial service to celebrate his life will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. in the B-10 Theatre at Mass MoCA. A foundation will be set up to help achieve some of Mr. Conway's many goals. For more information, contact info@kolokgallery.com. Mr. Conway was passionate about family, in particular his 12 nieces and nephews. He was also recently thrilled to become godfather to the child of close friends. He read up to 10 books a week on topics ranging from microbiology to art, and history to fiction. He will be remembered for his generosity, kindness, modesty and humor in addition to the friendship and love he brought to Kurt, his family, and his friends. He also leaves his aunt and uncle, Elaine and Tony Flynn, and cousins, Erica and Jamie Flynn, along with a large extended family.