Robert W. Conkling Jr.

Mr. Robert W. Conkling Jr. passed away at the age of 84. He was born on June 1, 1937 in Middletown, New York. His passing was on Feb 6, 2022 in his home looking out the window at his million-dollar view of the Gulf of Mexico. He loved his home and picked this special spot to have his house built. He lived in Crystal River, Florida for the past 29 years. He worked for Orange & Rockland Utility Co. for over 38 years before retiring and moving to FL.

He was a great Husband, to Anna, for over 64 years. They were high school sweethearts. He was a great father, to Robert and Susan. He has six Grandkids and five Great grand kids, but he was much more than that.

Robert was a true lover of life and adventure. Robert started his sport at a young age under his grandfather's guidance and grew to be world-renowned hunter getting his name recorded in the Boone and Crockett record book several times. He started hunting locally and moved on as he perfected his craft. He went on many vacation trips with his wife Anna, as well as several solo hunting trips. While its impossible to come up with an accurate number of trips Robert took, we can list a few. The couple took seven trips to Hawaii, which included hunting, and four trips to Bermuda, if Robert went, there was usually some hunting involved. He hunted in Africa three times on safari. Scotland five times and Canada coming in right behind. He also hunted in many states in search of that next trophy prey. This man had a 40' by 40' den with 12-foot ceilings, which had many different types of animal heads mounted in every space available on the wall, lights made out of animal legs, and animal skins draped over couches and over the floor. The centerpiece of the room was a full mount ten-foot Alaskan Brown Bear mounted on a pedestal just staring at you ready to attack. He had more guns than I could count and Bows too. Robert was not a man to brag or boast. An avid hunter, true sportsman in every sense of the word.

When retiring to Florida his big hunting days were behind him. He then became an avid saltwater angler. He named his boat, "Queen Anna", after his true love, and then he went on to have the "Queen Anna II", then his final boat, the "Queen Anna III". He loved to fish out in the Gulf of Mexico. He seemed to have a natural ability to find the fish and they never had a chance.

Robert W. Conkling, Jr. will be very missed. He left a mark on everyone he met. He always did things on his own terms. Even, his death, was on his own terms, just as he wanted it to be. We let him be in control and just followed his lead. We gave him his wish to be at home. And with a "phew' and his special wink he left us, gone, but never forgotten. Robert had a long and wonderful life. A better man never lived.