SPC Joseph McConahy

Spc. Joseph Demetri McConahy, 27, of Clarksville, TN, formerly of New Castle, passed away at 10:23 a.m., Tuesday, March 20, 2012 in Vanderbilt Hospital, Nashville, TN. He was an active member of 1st Platoon Shadow Company 1-33 CAV, 3rd Brigade Combat Team under the 101st Airborne division, U.S. Army.

Joseph was born on February 25, 1985 in New Castle to Michael Ambrose and Mary Ann Ritrosky McConahy.

He graduated from Lawrence County Vocational Technical School’s electrician program in 2004.

He went on to serve in the U.S. Army in 2009. In September 2009 Joseph started basic training in AIT at Fort Benning, GA. On January 8, 2010 he became a member of the 101st Airborne division in Fort Campbell, KY. He was deployed to Khost Province, Afghanistan on March 29, 2010 where he served as a rifleman and was assigned to Colonel Viet X. Luong’s Personal Security Detachment. His first tour ended on February 5, 2011 and he returned to Fort Campbell, KY. On August 16, 2011 he was assigned to Charlie Troop 1-33 CAV, 3rd Brigade Combat Team. During his service in the army, Joseph received the National Defense Service Medal, ARCM (Army Commendation Medal), NATO Medal, Global War and Terrorism Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Army Service Ribbon, and Afghanistan Campaign Medal with 1 Star.

His wife, Keisha S. McConahy (Maya), whom he married on November 18, 2011, survives at their residence in Clarksville, TN.

Besides his parents of New Castle and his wife, Joseph is survived by three stepchildren: Maria McConahy, J J McConahy, and Shelby McConahy . Three siblings mourn his passing: Michael R. McConahy and his daughter Tabytha, his wife Melissa McConahy and her children Amber, Tyler, and Allegra, all of New Castle along with Christina O. Pellis (McConahy), her husband Chad J. Pellis and their daughter Gianna R. Pellis, of Farrell, and Christopher J. McConahy, of Anthem, Arizona.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents Richard McConahy and Dorothy (Ganny) McConahy and John Ritrosky and Mary (Bubba) Ritrosky

Joseph was very passionate about serving his country. He loved the army and the work that he was doing.

He loved spending time with his wife and children, whom he adored dearly. Joseph also enjoyed hunting, fishing, and camping at his family’s camp in Bell Town, PA. Joseph loved animals. His wife Keisha bought him a puppy, L.J. (Little Joe) as a wedding gift and he loved playing with his nephew Archie Hunter and his niece Nadia. Some of his favorite past times were lighting fireworks with his brothers and brother-in-law, going to the shooting range with his wife and stepson and hanging out with the many friends he had . Joseph was a wonderful, funny, loving man with a heart of gold. He was an amazing husband, father, son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend who would have given the shirt off of his back for anyone at any time. He truly loved to just spend time with his family and friends. Joseph will not only live on in our hearts and thoughts forever, but we are proud to share that Joseph was able to save 5 lives due to his organ donations. All surgeries have been successfully completed. He will be sadly missed but never forgotten.

Visitation will be held from 2 – 4 and 7- 9 on Wednesday at the J. Bradley McGonigle Funeral Home and Crematory, 111 W. Falls St.

A funeral service will held at 11:00 a. m. on Thursday at the funeral home, conducted by the Rev. John L. Wiseman.

Burial will be in Briar Hill Cemetery.

Local arrangements by McReynolds-Nave & Larson Funeral Home