Obituary for Donald Conard

Donald Conard, 97 years old, was born on August 6, 1926, in Tunnel Hill (Coshocton Co.) Ohio. He is survived by his wife Linda, daughter Beth (Chet) Rowland, son Kyle Conard, step daughters Tamara (Tim) Moyer and Dawn DeLozier, daughter-in-law Susan Lewin; Grand and step grandchildren Angela (Toby) Briley, Andrew Conard, Katie Devine, Lauren (Kevin) Beutler, Tyler, Ryan and Keane Moyer, Carly (Dakota) Berridge and Brandi DeLozier; great grandchildren Jenna and Griffin Briley, Emerson and Teddy Berridge and Maris Beutler; many nieces and nephews; cousin Bob (Mabel) Melick.

Preceded in death by his parents John Milton Conard and Inez Norris; brothers Kenneth, sister Florence, wife Edna, sons Keith, Scott, Kevin; granddaughter Danielle.

Donald graduated from Union High School and immediately enlisted in the U.S. Navy. After training at Great Lakes Naval Station, he was assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Franklin CV-13. As WWII was winding down, the Franklin was headed to Japan when two armor-piercing bombs were dropped by Japanese planes on the morning of March 19, 1945. Over 900 men were killed that day. Miraculousy, the ship did not sink. It was towed to Ulithi for some repairs and then made its way to the Brooklyn Navy Yard by way of Pearl Harbor and the Panama Canal. Don always liked to tell that the ship was so wide that it knocked down light poles going through the canal. It was the most heavily damaged ship to make it back to port on its own power. While at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, Don met Edna Campbell and they married in New York City in 1946. When the war ended, they moved to Columbus, OH, and Don attended The Ohio State University on the GI bill. For four years they lived on the Ohio State Fairgrounds in a trailer while he pursued his degree in agriculture. He graduated in 1950 and worked for the Ohio Farm Bureau. Later he and his brother, Kenneth, co-founded Scioto Farm Chemicals Fertilizer Plant and Purina Feed Mill in Chillicothe, OH. Even later he worked at Alcoa/Wearever (Chillicothe) and Western Electric (Columbus). Edna passed away after 45 happy years. He built homes in Dayton and Chillicothe. The last home he built had been a dream since college days when a professor talked about geothermal heat. With his second wife he built a house near Utica, OH, with geothermal heating and enjoyed living there for several years. He and Linda returned to Westerville in 2013. He had the opportunity to go on an Honor Flight in April of 2009. He would become a world traveler after retirement and visited countries such as Solomon Islands, Figi, Myanmar, Iceland, Germany, England, France and many more. He took cruises and met many wonderful people who became lifetime friends. He had a wonderful life for 97 years and will be missed by anyone who knew him. Calling hours are 4-7pm on Friday February 23, and funeral on February 24, at 10:30am at Hill Funeral Home, 220 S. State St, Westerville, OH 43081. Interment will follow immediately after at Blendon Central Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Honor Flight Columbus, PO Box 20133, Columbus, OH 43220. WARM at 150 Heatherdown Dr, Westerville, OH 43081 or any charity of your choice. To honor a true WWII American hero, feel free to wear red, white and blue.