The Conroy Tree was donated in memory of Finbarr and Joanne Conroy. The tree was dedicated by the International Student Community on November 16, 2001. The tree itself is a Cornelian Cherry Tree. It is located by Friedsam Memorial Library near the Rare Book wing.
Finbarr Conroy was born in January 1931 in Kilrush, Ireland. He received his education from a variety of locations, from Buffalo, Washington, D.C., Mexico, Italy, and Portugal. From 1963 to 1998, Finbarr Conroy was a Spanish professor at St. Bonaventure. He was also the department chair from 1981 to 1987. Finbarr Conroy was a member of the Faculty Senate and was a founder of the International Students Association. After he retired in 1998, he continued on at St. Bonaventure as an associate professor and was given the honor of professor emeritus. Finbarr Conroy passed away on Tuesday, April 24, 2001 at the County Medical Center in Buffalo, NY. His death was caused by complications from burns that he received on April 3, 2001.
Joanne Conroy was born on November 11, 1936 in Allegany, NY. Joanne Conroy graduated from Allegany High School in 1954, and went on to earn a degree in English from St. Bonaventure University in 1958. She received a Master's Degree in Library Science from Catholic University in Washington, D.C. She married Finbarr Conroy on June 10, 1961. Joanne Conroy returned to St. Bonaventure in 1967 to work at Friedsam Memorial Library where she had worked previously from 1954 to 1958. Joanne Conroy was not only a librarian at St. Bonaventure, but also a talented artist. She died in her home on Friday, September 21, 2001 after a battle with breast cancer.
