The funeral for long-time Baltimore City Circuit Court Clerk Frank M. Conaway Sr. will take place at 11 a.m. Monday at Morgan State University’s Murphy Fine Arts Center. A wake will be held from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. preceding the funeral.
Two of his surviving children, state Del. Frank ConawayJr. and Belinda Conaway, Baltimore City register of wills, announced the arrangements late Wednesday.
The two issued a statement thanking people for their thoughts and prayers.
“To us, he was ‘Daddy’ – a man who instilled in us; a level of respect and admiration for the people, the importance of our individual role in government and to always be an accessible public servant that put the interests of our constituents ahead of any personal desires or requests by special interest groups,” they wrote.
U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings praised Mr. Conaway in a statement as a friend, mentor and tireless advocate for Baltimore.
“He dedicated his life to public service and loved every moment of it,” Cummings said, “His desire to help those around him and lift others up was present in all of his work.”
Mr. Conaway, 81, died in his sleep. He was found unresponsive Sunday morning in his home.
A self-described godfather of African-American politics in Baltimore, Mr. Conaway, or "Papa Bear" as he was called by supporters, was the patriarch of a political dynasty in the city. In addition to Frank Jr. and Belinda, his wife Mary was city register of wills for 30 years before retiring in 2012.