John Raymond Conway (1919 - 2000)

CONWAY, LEMASTER, SWANSON, HANNAM, JAMIESON, EALY, DINSMORE, MCDOWELL, SCOTT, GRAHAM, PAASCH, MARY SULLIVAN

Posted By: DJ Scieszinski
Date: 1/15/2019 at 09:16:02

THE ALBIA UNION-REPUBLICAN
Thursday, March 30, 2000

JOHN RAYMOND CONWAY

John Raymond Conway, 80, of Melrose, died Monday, March 27, 2000, at the Monroe County Hospital in Albia. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday, March 31, 2000, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Melrose, Rev. Scott Lemaster and Rev. Mark Swanson officiating. Burial with military rites provided by the American Legion, Richard F. Ward Post No. 0685 of Melrose will be in Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Melrose.

He was born May 4, 1919, in Melrose, to Michael "Mide" and Hannah Hannam Conroy. He married Kathryn Jamieson on June 24, 1945, at St. Patrick's Rectory in Burlington. He was a graduate of Melrose High School, class of 1936. After graduation he went to William Penn College in Oskaloosa and received his teaching degree, graduating in 1939. He taught at Tick Ridge Schoolhouse east of Melrose for three years. Then he worked for Leopold Desk Co. in Burlington before joining the service.

He served in World War II from April 1942 to January 1946, in the U.S. Army, 90th division as a sergeant first class in charge of a mortar platoon. He was involved in the Normandy Invasion at Utah Beach, serving under General Patton. He was wounded three times. He received the Purple Heart, two Bronze Stars, and a Silver Star.

After his service he worked for J. I. Case in Burlington for one year and then moved back to Melrose and farmed and also in 1959, became the retail outlet manager for a fertilizer company, retiring in 1983. He was a member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Melrose, a 3rd degree Knight of Columbus in Albia, and a 55 year member and past commander of the American Legion, Richard F. Ward Post No. 0685 in Melrose. He was a former Melrose and Albia school board member for 17 years, and a former member of the National Farmers organization. He was also instrumental in bringing telephone service to Melrose.

He is survived by his wife of Melrose, three sons, John Conway Jr. of Wellman, Michael Conway and Chris Conway, both of Melrose; two daughters, Karen Ealy of Belle Plaine and Susan Dinsmore of Fremont; nine grandchildren; seven step grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren; three brothers, Henry and Harold Conway, both of Albia, George Conway of Des Moines; and four sisters, Delores McDowell of St. Cloud, Minn., Ellen Scott of Davenport, Marge Graham of Des Moines and Cecilia Paasch of Arizona.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Charles, Donald and James Conway; and one sister, Mary Sullivan.