James Conrad

ELDON — Mr. James William “Gov” Conrad, of Eldon, entered into new life on Sept. 7, 2008 at his home. He was born on Oct. 7, 1923 at the Eldon home of his parents David Emery and Monica Rose Dooley Conrad.Mr. Conrad graduated from Eldon High School in 1941 and entered the U.S. Army in 1942, serving in the 12th Armored Division across Europe in W.W. II. He received his honorable discharge in 1946. On May 22, 1953 he was married to Frances Ann Bellamy, his loving wife of 55 years.He is survived by his wife; his children, Robert (Mary) Conrad of Chicago, Ill., Mary (Al) Langerud of Minneapolis, Minn., Bill (Jody) Conrad of Cedar Rapids and Teri (Doug) McCarroll of Ottumwa; his grandchildren, Sara (Mike) Conrad Erbes of Cedar Rapids, Alexis Conrad of New York, N.Y., Joel (Brooke) Conrad of Kansas City, Mo., Jenna Conrad of Cedar Rapids, Ellen McCarroll of Eldon, Kristin Langerud of Minneapolis, Minn., Nichole Conrad of Cedar Rapids, Leah McCarroll of Ottumwa and Kevin Langerud of Minneapolis, Minn.; a sister, Nellie MacFadden of Beltsville, Md. He is also remembered by many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.He was preceded in death by his brothers, Donald, Jack, David, Martin and Charles “Bud” Conrad; his sisters, Monica Kinnamon and Martha Nachtrieb.Gov was a 40-year veteran of the railroads, serving with the Rock Island and then the Milwaukee Lines until his retirement in 1984. He was a member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers, active in the Eldon American Legion Post and a lifelong member of St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Eldon until it closed at which time he was the only direct surviving member descended from the church’s founding families. He and his wife are currently members of St. Mary of the Visitation in Ottumwa.Mass of the Resurrection will be Thursday morning 11 o’clock at St. Mary of the Visitation Church in Ottumwa with Father Bernie Weir officiating. Interment will be in the Eldon Cemetery with military rites being conducted by O.B. Nelson American Legion Post #3 and Walter B. Schafer Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #775 of Ottumwa. Active casket bearers will be his grandchildren.Honorary casket bearers will be Jennifer Black, Dick Hall, Vernon “Bunny” Bedford, Ron Ferguson, Larry Lynch, Steve Durflinger, Steve Roe and Fred Thomas.Open visitation will begin at noon on Wednesday at Kremer Funeral home in Eldon.A Christian wake service will be held at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday with the family present following the services until 8 p.m. at the funeral home.Memorials may be directed to Rock Island Depot Museum in Eldon, Hospice Inc. of Wapello and Davis Counties, 312 E. Alta Vista Ave., Ottumwa, IA 52501 or the University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation Women’s Board, in care of Mary Ellen Connellan, 5841 South Maryland-MC1140 Chicago, IL 60637.Obituary may be viewed at: www.legacy.com/ottumwacourier/Obituaries.asp