David Joseph Connolly

David Joseph Connolly, known affectionately by his family as Papa Bear, passed away peacefully and surrounded by family on Sunday, August 4, 2019 in Hillsboro, Oregon. He was 72 years young.
David was born on April 18, 1947 in Seattle, Washington to John Robert Connolly and Antoinette (Toni) Julia Ziol. David lived his early life in Walla Walla, Washington and later moved with his parents and younger sister Deborah to Beaverton, Oregon. He graduated from Sunset High School in 1965. He made the decision to enlist in the U.S. Army shortly after, following in the footsteps of his father, and served in Vietnam from 1968-69. He attended the University of Oregon upon returning from abroad then reenlisted in the Army and was stationed across the United States, including Texas, Georgia, and Alaska.
David met the love of his life, Nancy (Bunn) Connolly, in Beaverton, Oregon in 1971. Nancy agreed, despite her father’s protest, to travel with David as he moved around with the Army. They were eventually married on June 8, 1973 in a courthouse in Columbus, Georgia by one Judge Homer G. Suggs. After serving out his enlistment in Fairbanks, Alaska and being honorably discharged, David and Nancy decided to make Fairbanks their home for the next 17 years. While there they welcomed two beautiful daughters, Willow and Vallie.
The Connolly Clan eventually returned to Oregon and settled in Hillsboro as David worked in the technology field as an electrical manufacturer. He retired in his early 60s and spent his days building in his shop, sitting silently laughing at his own jokes, adding to his garden, wandering the local library and feeding ducks, as well as playing with his grandchildren.
David was known from a young age to be a prankster and a lover of nature. In his early days, he once caught rattlesnakes and transported them in a coffee can on a Greyhound bus just so he could add them to his growing reptile collection. At one point in his early twenties, David owned a young crocodile, a raccoon, and a margay all in his tiny apartment. He was never one to shy away from animals!
Though a jovial spirit, David was known mostly for his kind and gentle soul. He was always one to comfort others, inquire about their latest adventures, and lend a shoulder or a helping hand in whatever way he could. His love for his family was unrivaled, spending many hours sharing stories, survival techniques, and his love of nature, as well as fine-tuning his jokes and pranks.
David is survived by his wife of 46 years Nancy, his eldest daughter Willow and her husband Dan, his youngest daughter Vallie, his granddaughter Ren and grandson Freddie, his sister Deb, and his niece Emily. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. Rest easy, Papa Bear.
A service will be held in the early fall of 2019. Information will come in the following weeks. In lieu of flowers, his family asks that you please make a donation to the American Cancer Society or the Audubon Society of Portland in his name.

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