Richard Conaway

Richard Asbury Conaway of Phoenix Arizona passed away peacefully at the age of 82 on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, after a year-long battle with brain cancer. Born 1944 in Woodbine Maryland, he was the son of the late Raymond and Ruth (Fleming) Conaway. He is preceded in death by his twin brother Raymond Conaway and his sister Margaret Franklin. Richard graduated with the class of 1961 from Sykesville High School. He received his BA and MBA from the University of Baltimore. Richard proudly served in the U.S. Army Signal Company C from 1961 to 1968. He married his high school sweetheart, Connie (Bennett) Conaway in 1964. Richard and Connie lived in Mt. Airy, Maryland for 33 years surrounded by their extended families; the Conaway, Franklin, and Bennett families. Richard enjoyed hunting, traveling, and supporting the communities of Taylorsville and Mt. Airy, Maryland. He retired in 1995 after 33 years of service as Deputy Director of Nuclear Weaponry at the Department of Energy. In 1995, Richard and Connie relocated to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where Richard worked at Sandia National Laboratory. Following the birth of their grandchildren in 2009, the couple decided to split their time between winters in Arizona and the rest of the year enjoying the beautiful weather of Albuquerque. In 2013, they fully retired to Surprise, Arizona, to be closer to their daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren. Richard, lovingly called Poppy, and his family cherished spending as much time together as possible. In 2018, after the passing of Connie, his beloved wife of 54 years, Richard moved to Sagewood Senior Living Community where he found joy in making new friends and relished a life of ease, free from the burdens of home maintenance, chores, and other responsibilities. Diagnosed with brain cancer in 2024, Richard received loving care from Hospice of the Valley and his Acacia Jacaranda caregivers, for which the family is deeply grateful. Richard is survived by his daughter Shannon (Conaway) Cucci, son-in-law Robert Cucci, and grandchildren Mason and Taylor Cucci of Scottsdale, Arizona. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Linda (Condon) Conaway of Maryland; his brother Robert and wife Pat Conaway of North Carolina; and many cherished nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held on September 22, 2025, at 2 pm in the Oasis Room at Sagewood, 4555 E Mayo Blvd, Phoenix, AZ 85050. His final resting place will be next to his wife Connie at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, 23029 North Cave Creek Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85024.