Grady Lee Conner

Grady Lee Conner, age 83, of Raleigh, NC, passed away on January 2, 2026, after a prolonged battle with Lewy Body Dementia.

Grady was born on November 27, 1942, to Johnnie Woodrow “J.W.” Conner and Mary Elizabeth “Lib” Denton Conner in Cherokee County, SC.

His father’s work as a crane operator building Liberty ships in support of the war efforts brought Grady and his family to Wilmington in the early days of World War II. Grady spent his childhood there, surrounded by family and friends, playing sports, working at Newell’s, and graduating from New Hanover High School in 1961. He went on to study business at Wilmington College (now UNC-Wilmington), while delivering milk to pay his tuition, and graduated in 1965.

After graduating from college, Grady began a career in the computer industry that lasted over four decades and would take him to Miami, FL, Raleigh, NC (where his son, Lee, was born), Kernersville, NC, and Dallas, TX. In 1982, Grady met his wife, Nancy, at Sunday School in Dallas, where he said he fell in love with Nancy the first time he saw her. They wed in 1987, beginning a marriage of over 38 years, highlighted by travel with friends and love for each other. In addition to traveling and spending time with his beloved Nancy, Grady’s time in Dallas was highlighted by restoring and driving his 1955 Ford Thunderbird and attending professional sporting events, many of them with Lee, during which they collected numerous autographs and countless wonderful memories.

After retiring, Grady and Nancy moved to Raleigh to be closer to family, giving them more time to be with their children and grandchildren. Grady loved being a grandfather to Caroline, Henry, and James, and was a frequent fan at their games, orchestra concerts, and anything else they did. He also spent his time pursuing his passion for antique cars and becoming certified by the Antique Automobile Club of America as a judge for its shows.

Grady was predeceased by his parents; his brother, Robert J. “Bob” Conner; and his sister, Patricia “Pat” Conner Bland. He is survived by his wife Nancy Kay Conner of Raleigh, NC; his son, Christopher Lee Conner (Emily) of Burlington, NC; his granddaughter, Caroline Jenna Conner of Burlington, NC; his grandson, Henry Theodore Conner of Burlington, NC; his grandson, James Christopher Conner of Burlington, NC; his step-daughter, Kirsten Reed Hutcheson of Boulder, CO; his step-grandson, Dr. Oskar Brent Hutcheson of Chapel Hill, NC; his step-granddaughter, Avery Carolina Hutcheson of Boulder, CO; his sister, Linda Conner Tartt (Randy) of Wilmington, NC; his brother Danny L. Conner (Martha) of Wilmington, NC; his sister-in-law, Elaine Conner of Jamestown, NC; his brother-in-law, Steve Bland of Wilmington, NC; his niece, Bethany Conner Perkins of Raleigh, NC, and her family; and his nephews, Brian Bland of Castle Hayne, NC, Eric Bland of Wilmington, NC, and Dr. Shane Tartt of Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, and their families.

A reception celebrating Grady’s life will be held on Sunday, March 1, 2026, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm, at Dockside Restaurant, 1308 Airlie Road, Wilmington, NC (www.thedockside.com).