Gerard Connolly

A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, July 20th at 11:00, at Christ Church Washington Parish, 620 G St. SE, Washington, D.C., burial to immediately follow. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Christ Church or Capitol Hill Chorale.

Gerard (Gerry) Alphonsus Connolly (Jr.) of Washington, DC, died on Thursday July 11 after a brief illness; he was 79. He was the son of Gerard Alphonsus and Helen O’Connor Connolly of Philadelphia. He is survived by his wife Marian Peacock Connolly, his daughter Moira Connolly Marzen and her husband Jeffrey, and the light of his life, grandson Jacob Anderson Marzen. He also is survived by his sisters Joanne Raczkowski, Marie Ballezzi, and Aliceanne Linderman and numerous nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.

In 2000, Gerry retired from the U.S Department of Justice (DOJ) Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys where he was in charge of information system support of U.S. Attorneys’ offices. Before that, he represented the Management Division on the procurement of consolidated information systems for DOJ and before that he led the Information Systems Litigation Support for other DOJ Divisions. The first main case he and his team supported was the break-up of “Ma Bell”.

Gerry graduated from St. Joseph’s Preparatory School and St. Joseph’s College in Philadelphia, PA. He rowed crew at The Prep and was active in Cap and Bells theater productions at the college. He also was Stage Manager for Summer Theater at Drexel University. He moved to Washington, DC, in 1968. He learned computer coding and systems development on the job at Informatics Tisco and then transferred to DOJ to help develop the JURIS system, the first searchable database at DOJ.

Gerry was active in leadership positions at Christ Church + Washington Parish on Capitol Hill, serving as Senior Warden several times, Junior Warden, Treasurer, and convener of the Liturgists, where he often trained acolytes and even some liturgists in the meaning and context of Scripture and “appropriate” liturgical practices. He created the parish’s first webpage and created and managed its content for many years. Gerry had an abiding passion for the study and exploration of religions, Christian theology, and liturgy and a love for sharing the knowledge he gained. A reader of the lessons and congregational prayers over many decades, he was well known at the 11 o’clock Sunday services for providing his own introduction and historical context for the lessons.


He also was active in Theater Productions of the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop (CHAW) as an actor, set builder, stage manager and lighting guru. In addition to participating in community theater productions, Gerry also served on the CHAW board for several years, and in later years enjoyed taking watercolor classes. He also served as House Manager for many Capitol Hill Chorale concerts before settling into his favorite role as grandson Jacob’s beloved Papa.

In retirement he became a docent at the Library of Congress and the Folger Shakespeare Library and served for many years until his health prevented him continuing. With his wife Marian, he opened their home to many neighborhood meetings on developmental impacts on the city