James Shannon Conover

My sweet husband and our loving dad won his battle against multiple myeloma when he was called home by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Sunday, December 14, 2008. Jim's passing was peaceful with his wife and children by his side at Saint Luke's East Hospital. Jim was born on June 2, 1952, in Kansas City, Mo., to Winogene (Clugston) and James Benjamin Conover. He was preceded in death by his father and father-in-law, Roger Lyle Goodnight. He is survived by his devoted wife and advocate, Patti; his son and best buddy, Jamie; his precious and forever faithful daughter, Jacqueline; his tender- hearted and kind daughter-in-law, Amber (Davis); and the young man who gently holds his daughter's hand and heart, Ian Flowers. Raised in Kansas City Mo., Jim graduated from Ruskin High School in 1970, where he performed as second chair trumpet. Talented and skillful, he continued to pursue his instrumental studies at Central Missouri State University (UCM). Once perfected, he decided to trade screeching horns for screeching children, and became certified to teach elementary education. He began his teaching career in Windsor, Mo., teaching mathematics. He completed his graduate studies and certification in special education, gifted and talented K- 12 from the University of Missouri - Columbia, and an MA in education from Avila University. At the time of his death he was teaching gifted and talented students at Lincoln College Preparatory Academy. Other survivors include his mother, his sister Karen Conover; his brothers David and John and his sister-in-law Lori (Friend) Conover, John's wife. Our family is especially proud for the love his brothers and sister displayed in their selfless act of volunteering to donate their stem cells for an allogeneic transplant. What a blessing when John's typing resulted in a perfect six factor match! He is also survived by his mother-in- law, Lou Ann Goodnight; his sisters-in- law Kandy (Goodnight) Murphy, Tina (Goodnight) Wells, and Karen (Goodnight) Snook; his brothers-in-law Tom Murphy, and Asher Snook, WPD, and his nieces and nephews, whom he could always relate to and play with on their level, Stephani Wells, Lauren Wells, Kelly Snook, Asher Snook III (Trey), and Mathew Snook. Prayer service in memory of Jim will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, December 20, 2008, at Langsford Funeral Home in Lee's Summit, followed by visitation with the family. In lieu of flowers, it was Jim's wish that donations be made to the charity or church of your choice or Heifer International at www.heifer.org or PO Box 8058, Little Rock, AR 72203- 8058. The family wishes to thank Jim's medical team at Saint Luke's, especially Sara, for their care and compassion, as well as the nurses in the transfusion room at Lee's Summit Medical Center. Our family also wishes to Dr. Ravi Vij and his team at Barnes Jewish Hospital at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo., for their competitive spirit, for sharing our hope, and for respecting our faith.