ELKINS, W.Va. (AP) - Linney Connolly has been recognized for his 25 years of service and dedication to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Connolly was introduced to the Almost Heaven Chapter of the Society of Former Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This group is composed of agents who retire after serving in West Virginia.
P.M. Carper, the chapter chairman for the Society of Former Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and a friend of Connolly, said, “The Society of Former Special Agents recognizes 35 years as a society member for Linney Connolly Jr., who has been retired from 1977 to 2016.
“Linney was an excellent agent for many years and was well-respected in the community,” Carper said.
Originally from Roanoke, Virginia, Connolly made the move to West Virginia for employment. In 1952 he became a member of the FBI.
Connolly worked from an office located in Elkins, and recalled serving approximately one-fourth of the state of West Virginia, including Pocahontas, Hardy, Grant, Tucker, Pendleton, Randolph, Upshur, Braxton and Barbour counties.
“The only way to say it is the textbook answer, anything that came within the purview of our assignments and our responsibilities,” Connolly said. “We were the primary investigative agency for the entire federal government.”
Connolly was responsible for the investigation of crimes such as bank robbery, kidnapping, fraud against the government, interstate transportation of stolen vehicles, escaped federal prisoners and numerous others.
“You didn’t have much of a chance to ask somebody how to do something - you did something and then called them and told them what you did and how you did it,” Connolly said.
Interim Elkins Police Chief J.C. Raffety, a longtime friend of Connolly, said, “He was well-respected by many. His name was well-received by many in the law enforcement community.
“Gentlemen like Linney made the bureau,” Raffety said.
Raffety explained that Pittsburgh serves as the main headquarters office for the state of West Virginia and the western part of Pennsylvania. He noted the office in Elkins served as a resident agency.
“I opened the office in Elkins. There had not been one here before that, and soon after I retired the office closed,” Connolly said. “Director Hoover structured the FBI so that any person, any agent in the FBI could always be available and qualified to run not only a field office but the entire FBI.”
The office in Elkins was closed more than 20 years ago.
“As retired agents, we’re very proud of our association with the FBI,” Raffety said.
Connolly and his late wife had two daughters, Joan Traynelis and Karen Connolly, as well as three grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Joan Traynelis said, “He is a wonderful father and a wonderful person. He is such a hard worker and everything he ever tried to do, he always worked so hard to be the best that he could be in whatever he was doing.”
Traynelis added that her parents were active members of a dance group in addition to avid bridge players.
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Information from: The Inter-Mountain, https://www.theintermountain.com
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