Obituary: James Gleason Conzelman, Jr., of Wilton

WILTON, CT —James Gleason Conzelman, Jr., of Wilton, Connecticut, passed away peacefully on January 7, 2019 at the age of 81. He was born on September 17, 1937 to James Gleason and Anne Forrestal Conzelman in St. Louis, MO.

Jim spent much of his youth traveling with his father, the NFL Hall of Fame player and championship coach of the Chicago Cardinals. He attended St. Louis Country Day School, Portsmouth Priory and Brown University, where he was a member of PSI Upsilon. He returned to Missouri to begin his professional life working for the First National Bank in St. Louis. His career included positions with the Monsanto Company, Donaldson Lufkin and Jenrette, The US-USSR Trade and Economic Council, AERC Inc. and the MassMutual Financial Group.

His time as a child on the sidelines of the NFL had a profound effect on him. His passion for the game of football and its philosophies shaped many aspects of his life, especially his relationship with his children and grandchildren. He would eventually coach his grandson's team in the Youth Football program in Westport.

In early 2000, Jim began volunteering at The Bridgeport Rescue Mission and the Jewish Home for the Elderly. He ultimately found his calling at Connecticut Hospice in Branford in 2006, where he volunteered for 10 years, caring for patients and assisting the nurses and doctors in a multitude of ways.

He will be remembered by his beloved family and many friends as a passionate man with a tremendous sense of humor, who was an amazing cook, an accomplished athlete, musician and life of the party. He put his family first and above all else in his life and will be dearly missed.

He is survived by his three children, sons James Gleason Conzelman III and John Shepley Conzelman and his daughter, Shelley Conzelman Burger and his eight grandchildren.

Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, January 18th at St. Pius X Church in Fairfield, CT with a reception to follow at the Fairfield County Hunt Club. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests contributions be made to the Connecticut Hospice, 100 Double Beach Road, Branford CT 06405.