BRUCE LAWRENCE CONLEY

CONLEY, Bruce Lawrence Hall of Fame Coach and Mentor Bruce L. Conley, a lifelong resident of South Boston, passed away on January 30, 2026, at the age of 72, at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, after a brief illness. Bruce was the beloved son of the late South Boston amateur boxing champion and longshoreman, Paul W. Conley and the late Constance M. (Simmons) Conley. Bruce is survived by his brother, Paul W. Conley of Quincy, MA; and his sister, Susan J. (Simmons) Joyce of Charlestown, MA; and by many other loving cousins. of both the Conley and Simmons families. Bruce was also the long-time cherished partner of Lydia Lind of South Boston, who graciously and lovingly cared for him prior to his hospitalization. Everyone in their neighborhood knew them as being a special couple. A graduate of the Gate of Heaven High School, Class of 1970, Bruce excelled in basketball and served as a reporter for the school newspaper. He spent his summers as an MDC Life Guard at M Street Beach. which instilled in Bruce an innate love of swimming, which he carried with him throughout his entire life. An avid skier as well, he spent many winter vacations skiing with his buddies, Pat Conley, John Donovan, and Rick Graham, who like Bruce were all lifetime members at Wildcat Mountain in Gorham, New Hampshire. Needless to say, they all enjoyed many Après Ski sessions with Red and Tom and Tess Mulkern and the rest of the gang at the Shannon Door Pub in Jackson, NH. An instinctive sailor too, Bruce spent much time sailing on the ocean around Boston, Falmouth and Marblehead with his sailing buddy, Michael Nolan. Bruce retired from his position as a swimming instructor in the Boston Public Schools in 2015. He began his career as a swimming instructor at the Walter E. Fernald State School in Waltham, Massachusetts and later at the James F. Condon Community School in South Boston. Bruce served as the swimming coach for both the Boston Latin School girls and boys swim teams, for multiple decades. His dedication to coaching earned him induction into the The Boston Latin Hall of Fame and the Eastern Massachusetts Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association Hall of Fame. His students adored him and many stayed in touch with him up to this day. At the time of his retirement from the Boston Public Schools, Bruce was the swimming instructor at the Richard J. Murphy K-8 School in the Neponset section of Dorchester. He taught hundreds of Boston students to swim and loved them all. Bruce was known to have a dry wit and quiet sense of humor that made people laugh. He will be deeply remembered and loved by all those who knew him. Lydia and the family would like to extend a special thanks to the care givers on MGH Philips 20, who so kindly cared for Bruce during his illness over the last several weeks. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Bruce's memory to the Boston Latin Swim Team, at bls.org or mailed to Boston Latin School Association, 300 Fenway St., A375 Boston, MA 02115. Visiting Hours: An 11:00am Funeral Mass will be said for Bruce in Gate of Heaven Church, 615 East Fourth Street, South Boston, MA on Saturday, February 7, 2026. Parking is available at the Church. spencerfuneralservice.com

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