Mark Conrad

On June 14, 2024, Mark Conrad, 89, beloved family man and friend of many, passed away peacefully in Walnut Creek, California. He was born to Orie M. and Eda Zehr Conrad in Albany, Oregon, the seventh of nine children. He leaves a legacy of love, kindness, generosity, and unwavering faith.Mark was raised in an Anabaptist Mennonite farming family spending his childhood summers working in rye grass fields and his elementary school years in a two-room schoolhouse. He received his high school diploma from Hesston Academy in Kansas and graduated from Goshen College in Indiana in 1960. While at Goshen, he made lifelong friends and met Nancy Gerber Conrad, his beloved partner of 63 years. As a pacifist and conscientious objector, Mark volunteered for alternative service through the PAX program. He fulfilled his PAX service in Germany building homes for WWII Prussian refugees and in Algeria where he built a road and homes while the war for independence from France continued. Mark's management career in insurance and financial services began in South Bend, Indiana. Company transfers took him and the family to Ft. Wayne, Indiana; Erie, Pennsylvania; and finally, San Diego where he retired after 30 years as a certified financial planner (CFP). In semi-retirement, Mark sold long-term care insurance. He was also instrumental in establishing a foundation for First United Methodist Church of San Diego. When Mark accompanied Nancy on her nursing education sabbatical to Uganda in 1994, he became a fulltime volunteer. His people skills made him an asset to various missions and projects in Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda. In 2015, Mark and Nancy moved to Walnut Creek to support their family after 38 years in the San Diego area. Mark's varied interests included the Golden State Warriors, the San Diego Padres, travel, fishing, sailing, bridge, reading, politics, and storytelling. Throughout his life Mark touched countless people with his positive energy and curiosity. His presence will be deeply missed. Mark is survived by his wife, Nancy; his children, Cara (Eric) Caindec, Jill Conrad (Tom Quinlavin), and Alan (Maria) Conrad; his grandchildren, Conrad and Kai (Julia) Caindec, Velvet Quinlavin, Marley and Logan Conrad; his siblings, Lucile Hochstetler, James Conrad, and Lois Kauffman, along with many nieces and nephews. A private service of remembrance was held in Northern California on July 13, 2024. In memory of Mark, the family suggests donations to the Foundation of First United Methodist Church of San Diego, Mennonite Central Committee (https://mcc.org,) or the charity of your choice.