Ryan Franklin Conley Obituary, NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas — Ryan Franklin Conley, 41, of New Braunfels, Texas, passed away on August 7, 2026. Born on February 22, 1985, in Glen Ellyn, Illinois, Ryan lived a life marked by courage, compassion, service, and a commitment to helping others.
Conley was known for pursuing adventure with extraordinary determination. As a Red Bull skydiver, he completed more than 15,000 jumps and also participated in base jumping, paramotoring, and rebreather diving. His dedication to these pursuits reflected the boldness and discipline that characterized many aspects of his life.
Before entering psychiatric care, Conley worked as an emergency nurse at Chicago’s Cook County Medical Center, where he cared for patients at one of the country’s busiest trauma centers. His experience in emergency medicine became part of a broader career dedicated to supporting people during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.
Conley later served in the U.S. Army as a Captain and Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. He was stationed at Fort Belvoir in Virginia and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska, where he provided psychiatric care to Service Members and beneficiaries across a region serving more than 600,000 people.
Following his military service, Conley continued his work as a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. He practiced at Northern Maine Medical Center in Fort Kent, Maine, and later at Windmill Wellness Ranch in Canyon Lake, Texas. At Windmill Wellness Ranch, he served approximately 10,000 patients and families and contributed to the mathematics behind the facility’s patented brain frequency stimulation software.
Conley’s professional path was supported by extensive academic training. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology, magna cum laude, and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Loyola University Chicago. He later earned a Master of Science in Nursing as a Family Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner from the University of Pennsylvania.
He is survived by his parents, Gary and Cheryl Conley, and his partner. His life brought together a passion for adventure, military service, nursing, psychiatric care, and a commitment to those who needed support.
A celebration of Conley’s life, titled “The Roast of Ryan Conley,” is scheduled for Friday, September 4, from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Chandelier of Gruene, 1924 Bretzke Lane, New Braunfels, Texas 78132. The gathering will provide an opportunity for family, friends, colleagues, and others whose lives he touched to remember his life and legacy. Condolences go to his family, partner, friends, colleagues, and all who knew Ryan Franklin Conley.
