DENEASE CONLEY: Tough, With a
Studious Side
The
seeds of Denease Conley's toughness could be seen early
on. She once had a fight with an older sister who locked
herself in the bathroom, and to get her out, Denny, as
she was known, threw a cherry bomb at the bathroom
door.
In high school in Kansas City, she studied karate,
loved Bruce Lee and even painted a poster of him on her
wall. She served in the Navy for four years, and
afterward became a security guard at the World Trade
Center. When a supervisor taunted her by saying she was
too weak to work as a firefighter, she took up his
challenge and passed the qualifying exams to become a New
York City firefighter.
She also had a studious side, receiving a bachelor's
degree in English and philosophy from Hunter College.
"Her apartment was filled with books," said her sister,
Barbara Haynes. "She had a thirst for knowledge. She read
everything. I called her the professional college
student. And this was a child that at one time did not
want to go to school."
Ms. Haynes was surprised at how many people packed the
memorial service. "Several people said my sister helped
save their lives," she said. "One friend said the last
time he saw Denny she was holding a door open with a
fireman. Knowing my sister, she had this take-charge
attitude that she had to help other people get out."
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