Edwin Conger

1932 - 2015

June 24, 1932 - August 11, 2015 Ted was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan to parents Julia Lathrop Henning and Ralph Gilbert Conger, the youngest of four brothers. He grew up there, developing a life-long love of reading and a flair for Ping-Pong. At Ann Arbor, he earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science and an MBA from the University of Michigan in 1955 and, further east, received his L.L.B/J.D., cum laude from the Harvard Law School. Back in the Midwest, he joined the Chicago firm of Tenney and Bentley in 1957. Later, a partner, he continued to practice law there, his "first job out school", for the rest of his life. Not much of one for job swapping, nor the retirement scene by the golf course, he believed in keeping active and engaged. A good example set. He met Elizabeth Silvers in Chicago and continued his courtship when she moved with her family to Portugal. Annual summer trips successful, they were married in Gibraltar on July 27, 1960. A longtime resident of Hyde Park, he was a member of The Savoyards, the local Gilbert & Sullivan company, providing choral as well as business acumen. He served as a board member of the Hyde Park Neighborhood Club, and of the University of Chicago Hospitals. Whether in professional or personal interactions, Ted was generous with his time and kind in his assistance. He certainly had a strong sense of justice and fairness; kindness and generosity were not mistaken for easy acquiescence! Ted loved tennis. An avid player, he continued to play, often the "early-bird" sessions before work. He liked watching the tournaments, but despaired of the audio track - the breathless commentary or later, the grunts of agony and exertion. He enjoyed following the Cubs in a desultory fashion. Their recent successes applauded, but with a calm heart: he had followed their progress for numerous years. Ted and Elizabeth enjoyed travel to distant parts of the U.S. and more distant countries. Travel could be exotic, but rarely luxurious. Firm in the belief of the value of experiencing foreign customs and peoples, participating in the larger world, the school spring break week often stretched to two. Compensatory trip reports (with photos) provided for educational credit. Photos. Many recalled and most enjoyed the slide show and dinner at the Congers' after another one of the expeditions. Only 12 more carousels of slides… Ted's second (first?) home has always been at the cottage on the white sand beach in Holland, Michigan. First, his family's summer cottage, down the road from Grand Rapids, later to the larger one shared with the Sciaky family, it was the place for relaxation and rejuvenation -- summer weekends and the occasional mid-winter snowdrift parties. He died peacefully at home on the evening of August 11, 2015. Having returned two weeks before from a trip with family and friends to Europe, he was soon to be off to the annual Shakespeare festival of plays in Stratford, Ontario. Having attended their opening season in 1953, it would have been his 63rd. He is survived by his son, Edward Conger, granddaughters Julia and Theresa Conger, and nieces Patricia Goodrich, Susan Conrady, Nancy Tilton, Carol Murray and Pamela Meier. He is deeply missed. A celebration of his life will be held at 1:30 PM on Saturday, October 3 at Bond Chapel, University of Chicago, 1025 East 58th Street, Chicago. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Shedd Aquarium, 1200 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, (312) 939-2438 or the Monterey Bay Aquarium, 886 Cannery Row, Monterey, CA 93940, (800) 840-4880.