Lunenburg man identified as victim in Leominster State Forest climbing accident

WESTMINSTER — The Worcester County District Attorney’s Office has identified Robert “Bob” Conroy, 69, of Lunenburg, as the rock climber who died after a fall at Crow Hill in Leominster State Forest last Thursday. The incident, which occurred in a section of the park located in Westminster, is currently under investigation by State Police detectives.

Bob Conroy, a seasoned rock climber with a passion for the outdoors, had scaled the Grand Tetons, Mount Washington, and “all 4,000-footers in New Hampshire.” According to his wife of 45 years, Susan Conroy, Bob believed he had another two years left of climbing before age would catch up to him. “Bob rock climbed, ice climbed, mountaineered. He did spelunking. He hiked, and has been hiking mountains since he was 13,” Susan told the Telegram & Gazette.

Susan pointed out the irony of the accident happening during what was meant to be one of his final climbs, saying, “The tragedy of Thursday is they [Bob Conroy and his climbing partner, Joel] were on their last climb. That’s why it’s so ironic. I mean, Crow Hill was probably the easiest climb he ever did.”  

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Bob was not only an accomplished rock climber but also a talented musician and a cherished family man. His daughter, Merry Conroy, described him as the “rock” of their family, always calm and dependable. “He was such a consistent presence and very, very Zen,” she said. “He was just a consistently calm, patient person in my life and my children’s life.”

Bob, who earned a bachelor’s degree in music from the New England Conservatory of Music in 1979, where he met his wife, a voice major, was also an accomplished guitarist. Since 2008, he had been a member of the surf rock instrumental group the SpyTones. His bandmate Tom Wood referred to him as a Renaissance man who was deeply involved in his community.

“Bob was what you could call a Renaissance man. He was good at many things. But, as a person, he was just extremely kind, very soft-spoken, but a man with strong opinions,” Wood said. Later adding, “Bob was an accomplished classical player. But, on the electric, we were both Hendrix fans and Clapton fans and Allman Brothers. And he did some things that I could never do. He was able to move from country to rock to blues a lot more effectively. He wasn’t a music snob. He was open to any type of music.”

As the investigation continues, Bob’s family remembers him for his passions and for the life he lived to the fullest.

“I would say he lived his life the way he wanted to,” Susan Conroy said. “And he did everything he wanted to. He had plans for more things but…he actually died the way he wanted to. He wanted to go doing something he loved and go quickly. He did not want to die in his bed.”