Wayzata, MN - It is with broken hearts that we announce the death of Richard Michael Conley, known to everyone but telemarketers as Mike. Mike was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer on June 16. It progressed devastatingly fast. He died peacefully at home at the age of 82 on July 3, surrounded by his family.

Mike was raised in North Minneapolis. He attended the University of Minnesota for two years before serving in the Navy doing cryptology. After two years of service, he returned to the U of M, where he met the love of his life, Sharon Wells. He graduated with a degree in political science and education. After graduating, he began work as a salesman at Northwestern National Life Insurance (later known as ReliaStar). He worked his way up the corporate ladder, spending 31 years there.

Mike retired at the age of 55, in 1998, and his boundless energy continued. He joked that he failed at retirement. The day after retiring, he started flight lessons. He and Sharon founded the Conley Family Foundation to fund causes related to the North Minneapolis community, the recovery community, and the environment. He also served on various boards.

After becoming a grandfather, he became deeply concerned about the world he would be passing on to his grandchildren. He extensively researched climate change and its geopolitical implications. He was always a man of action, and he poured what he learned into writing three books, teaching OLLI classes through the University of Minnesota, creating an educational website (weatheringthestorm.net), and doing many presentations to interested groups.

A lifelong Lutheran, he had a deep, winsome faith in God. He understood that love was an action word, and he loved well. He excelled in making people feel seen, valued, and accepted.

Mike was a hero to his family and took amazing care of them. He was a rock - reliable and dependable. You could count on him to help, share wisdom and kindness, and probably make you laugh. He had deep integrity, and lived values of respect for others, empathy, compassion, conviction, and service.

He was grateful for his long-term sobriety and was very active in the recovery community. He lived his life by the 12 steps - letting go and letting God, honesty, gratitude, humility, making amends, and sharing what he learned with others.

He loved thunderstorms, long bike rides, music, woodworking, World War 2 history, airplanes, and jigsaw puzzles. He was happy. He was grateful. And he was hilarious.

Mike is survived by Sharon, his wife of 57 years; his daughters, Kristen and Heather; his grandchildren, Keri and Sam; his sons-in-law, Todd and Sean; his sisters, Carol and Betty; nieces, nephews, cousins, and countless others who will miss him deeply.

They broke the mold when they made Mike. There was no one like him and there never will be. But the roots he has left here are deep, feeding countless fruitful trees. And the light he leaves behind is bright. He will live on in our hearts always.

A visitation will be held from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM on July 25, 2025 at St. Philip the Deacon Lutheran Church, 17205 County Rd. 6, Plymouth. A celebration of life will follow there from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM.