Lee (Leon) Arland "Coach" Conley

CONLEY, Mr. Lee (Leon) Arland "Coach" - age 66, passed away, Thursday, April 7, 2016 at McLaren Hospital Oakland. Family hour 10:30AM Thursday, April 14, 2016 at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, 318 Auburn Avenue, with funeral service commencing at 11:00 AM. Pastor Timothy Lawrence, Officiating. Interment Perry Mount Park Cemetery, 878 N. Perry St. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the church 10:30AM Thursday. Mr. Conley will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home 268 N. Perry St., and may be viewed from 12Noon - 8:00 PM Wednesday. Lee “Leon” Arland Conley was born February 24, 1950 in Granada, Mississippi to the late James F. and Agnes Conley. Lee was the oldest of nine children. He rested from labor to reward on April 7, 2016 at the age of 66. Lee A. Conley accepted Christ at an early age in Granada, Mississippi and moved to Michigan when he was seven years old. He was a member of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Reverend Timothy Lawrence. Lee was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle. He raised his children to be hardworking, confident, to know the importance of education and to know not only world history but family and cultural history. He loved his family and friends never hesitating be there for those in need. He was a product of the Pontiac School District graduating as a Pontiac Northern Huskie in 1969. In high school, Lee was very active. He even sung a little, but was mostly known for being an All American Football Player. He received many awards and trophies for football and wrestling. He was united in Holy Matrimony to the love of his life, Tereatha J. Branner on March 31, 1973. To this union, three children were born. Lee was very active in his community, assisting various political leaders during their campaigns and working with them to implement programs to uplift and move the city of Pontiac forward. He served as a football coach for many years, coaching for the Pontiac Athletic League (P.A.L.). From 1988 to 1990 he served as an assistance football coach with the Pontiac Northern Varsity Team. He spent many hours not only “coaching” these young men but serving as mentor and father figure to many of them and others in the community. Well after graduation, these young men continued to visit and call, expressing their love, gratitude and respect. He took on the task of family historian. Spending years tracing his family history, researching and tracking his family back several generations. Family was very important to him and he loved spending time talking about black history then and now. If there was anything to know regarding the “movement,” he could tell you and possibly had a binder with notes. He would often say “come to basement,” which could lead to hours of discussion and debating on various topics ending with a session of Jazz music from his archive collection. Lee worked for General Motors Corporation for thirty-one years, retiring in 2008. In his spare time, Lee was an avid player of the game of Chess. He loved to plant a garden each year which always included Zucchini for Tereatha’s famous Zucchini Bread. Let us not forget what he was truly known for, being a sharp dresser and wearing killer hats! Lee leaves to cherish his memory: his loving wife of forty-three years, Tereatha J. Conley; children, Donitisha (LaThawn) Bursey, DeTiya Conley of Pontiac, MI and Daleisha (Derek) Goins of Charlotte, NC; grandchildren, LaThawn Bursey Jr., Chazity Conley, Khalilah McKinney and Brooke Bursey; eight siblings that he loved dearly, Willie (Vertice) Conley of Auburn Hills, MI, Frank Starks of Pasadena, CA, James (Robin) Conley of Kokomo, IN, Shirley Conley of Pontiac, MI, Mike (Charlene) Conley of Auburn Hills, MI, Mary Conley of Kokomo, IN, Ronnie (Chiquita) Conley of Auburn Hills, MI and Sonya Conley of Kokomo, IN; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and numerous other relatives and friends. Mr. Conley was preceded in death by his parents, Agnes and James Conley.

Lee (Leon) Arland "Coach" Conley

February 24, 1950 - April 7, 2016