Robert H. Conn Sr., 95, of Boothbay quietly passed away at home on Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020.

He was born in Boonton, New Jersey on June 8, 1925, the son of Henry Hammond Conn and Violet B. Doremus.

In 1943, upon graduating from Morristown School, Bob enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He was in flight training until 1946 and earned the designation Naval Aviator. His operational assignments afterwards included flying seaplanes, land-based patrol bombers, and carrier-based fighter and attack aircraft. He subsequently returned to Pensacola as a flight instructor.

Between 1954 and 1966, Bob received a BA from the University of Mississippi, an MS from the University of Rochester, graduated from the Naval War College, and completed doctoral studies in Management and Economics at Indiana University.

In 1967 he became assistant director of the Navy’s Budget Office. He was then assigned as director of Fleet Resources, for which he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. Upon promotion to Captain, Bob became the Navy Comptroller’s Assistant Director of Budget and Reports, where he earned the Legion of Merit.

During his Naval career, Bob conducted seminars on defense budgeting at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, the Naval War College and the National War College. He also served on the Curricula Advisory Committee for the Navy Postgraduate School, Monterey, California.

Bob retired from the Navy in 1972 and joined Arthur Andersen (now Accenture). As Manager of the Federal Liaison Division he was financial consultant to numerous Executive Agencies and Congressional Committees. A recognized expert on federal election campaign law, he managed the audit review process for the Federal Election Commission.

In 1981 Bob was nominated by President Ronald Reagan and approved by the Senate to be Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management) and in 1984 President Reagan reappointed him Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management) - the office he held through 1988. For this service he was awarded both the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and the Defense Distinguished Service Medal.

Locally, Bob served as treasurer for St. Andrews Hospital, then LincolnHealth. He was a member of the MaineHealth Audit Committee. He enjoyed playing golf at the Boothbay Harbor Country Club, was a longtime member of the New York Yacht Club, and enjoyed cruising the Atlantic coast and Chesapeake Bay under sail and power.

Bob’s first wife, Virginia Inness-Brown, predeceased him in 2011, after 65 years of marriage.

He is survived by his wife, Meredith P. Mitchell; his five children, Portia R. Hirschman, Judith V. Goodnow, Robert H. Conn Jr., Patricia Royall and Catherine Conn; as well as many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, Aug. 21 at Boothbay Baptist Church. Arrangements are under the care of Hall Funeral Home, Boothbay. State COVID 19 restrictions will apply.