Eleanor Mae "Ellie" KOEHLER CONGER

WELDON J CONGER
B: 14 AUG 1923
D: 04 JAN 2009

ELEANOR MAE "ELLIE" KOEHLER CONGER
B: 18 MAY 1922
D: 21 SEP 2014

"TOGETHER FOREVER MARRIED 10 FEB 1945"

His obituary reads (birth date is incorrect):
"Conger, Weldon J.
(85) passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 4, 2009, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Weldon was born to Jay and Anna Frederking Conger in Sibley Illinois. On February 10, 1945, he married his best friend and the love of his life, Eleanor Koehler. They would have celebrated their 64th anniversary in February. He is survived by his wife, Eleanor "Ellie"; three daughters, Sue (Bill) Hallinan, Scottsdale; Sharon (Paul) Murphy, Portland; Janene Kinney, Redmond, WA; one son, Jody (Diane), Tucson; ten grandchildren, Justin Murphy; Erin Murphy (Brian) Deardorff; Hillary Hallinan (Garrett) Hoskins; Alex and Eric Kinney; Lauren, Hailey, Sarah, Claire and David Conger; brother-in-law, Don (Gayle) Koehler, Loomis, CA; and niece, Lynne Lamb (Jim) Beasley, League City, TX. His parents and two sisters, Marjorie Conger and Waneeta Lamb, preceded him in death. Weldon graduated from Sibley High School in 1941 and farmed in the Sibley area until his retirement in 1983. For 20 years, Conger Specialized Agricultural Services provided the application of fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides for farmers in the Sibley community. As a community leader, Weldon served on the Melvin-Sibley School Board for 12 years, including a number of years as Board President. During that time, he led efforts to improve the quality of education in the Melvin-Sibley schools. He was also a strong supporter of the local community college initiative, which ultimately produced Parkland Community College. Weldon was a competitor and perfectionist throughout his life. In the 1950's, he was a regular contestant and trophy winner in the annual Ford County Contour Plowing Contests and the Pantagraph Soil Day Contour Plowing Contests. In 1952 at the National Soil Conservation Day Contour Plowing Contest in Dodge County, Minnesota, he represented the State of Illinois and placed fifth. He played catcher and shortstop for the Sibley Softball Team; was an avid pheasant hunter; enjoyed creating objects with wood and stained glass; and never missed an opportunity to dance to the Big Bands with Eleanor. After earning his private pilot's license in the 1970's, he flew his airplane from a grass strip on his farm in Sibley just for fun with family members and also for business, viewing crops in the area. He wanted to see all of this great country from coast to coast and took his family on wonderful annual vacations. After retiring from farming in 1983, Weldon moved to Scottsdale where he and Eleanor enjoyed playing golf and traveling extensively throughout the US and Canada in their motor home with the Vogue Country Club. He was a long-time supporting member of the Methodist Churches in Sibley and Melvin, Illinois. After moving to Arizona, he became an active member of the Gold Canyon United Methodist Church. Of greatest importance to Weldon were Eleanor, his four "kids," and his ten grandchildren. He was very proud of each one and treasured all the memorable times they spent together. A memorial service celebrating his life will be held January 17, at 11 a.m., at the Gold Canyon United Methodist Church, Gold Canyon, Arizona, with visitation one hour prior to the service. Internment will be at Paradise Memorial Gardens in Scottsdale. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Gold Canyon United Methodist Church Stained Glass Window Fund in Weldon's name. Mariposa Gardens Mortuary, Mesa, Arizona, is handling the arrangements." - See more at: http://www.legacy.com

Her obituary reads:
"Eleanor (Ellie) Mae Koehler Conger died peacefully on September 21, 2014, at Hospice of the Valley in Scottsdale, Arizona, at the age of 92. A memorial service celebrating her life will be held October 11, at 11 a.m., at Paradise Valley Community Church, 4242 E Greenway Road, Phoenix, Arizona, with visitation thirty minutes prior to the service. Burial will follow the service at Paradise Memorial Gardens. Memorials may be made to Hospice of the Valley , 1510 E Flower Street, Phoenix, AZ 85014, in Eleanor's name. Hansen Desert Hills Mortuary in Scottsdale is handling arrangements. Eleanor was born to William McKinley and Marie Fricke Koehler in Sibley, Illinois. She married Weldon Conger on February 10, 1945, in Sibley, and celebrated nearly 64 years together. She is survived by three daughters, Sue (Bill) Hallinan of Scottsdale; Sharon (Paul) Murphy of Portland; Janene (Rich) Clay of Redmond, WA; one son, Jody (Diane) of Tucson; eleven grandchildren, Justin Murphy; Erin Murphy (Brian) Deardorff; Hillary Hallinan (Brian) Hutson; Alex and Eric Kinney; Katie Clay; Lauren, Hailey, Sarah, Claire and David Conger; three great-grandchildren, Kylie, Brady and Braxon Hutson; one brother, Don (Gayle) Koehler of Loomis, CA; and one niece, Lynne Lamb (Jim) Beasley, League City, TX. She was preceded in death by her husband, Weldon; her parents; and her loving stepmother, Margaret Koehler. Eleanor graduated from Sibley High School in 1940, and received a two-year diploma from Illinois State Normal University in 1942, which qualified her to teach in rural Illinois elementary schools immediately. She was an elementary teacher in Forrest, Illinois, from 1942 until 1945, when district policy prohibited married women from teaching. In 1953, Eleanor returned to teaching at Sibley Elementary School as its 3rd grade teacher until 1961 and again from 1973 to 1976. She loved children, and she loved teaching. In addition, Eleanor worked closely with Weldon to manage Conger Specialized Agricultural Services for over 20 years. She also directly contributed to their farming activities, operating large equipment until they retired in 1983. She and Weldon then moved to Scottsdale, where they enjoyed playing golf, visiting family, and traveling by motorhome throughout the U.S. and Canada. Eleanor was a long-standing member of the United Methodist Church in Sibley and Melvin, Illinois. In recent years, she and Weldon were active and enthusiastic members of the Gold Canyon United Methodist Church in Gold Canyon, Arizona. For the past three years, she resided at Pueblo Norte in Scottsdale, where she was independent and active until her death. Family was Eleanor's first priority, and she showed a keen interest in the education, activities and careers of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. By example, she demonstrated diligence, persistence, compassion, love and humor. She chose to begin each day with a positive attitude, and greeted everyone with a friendly smile. Please visit www.hansenmortuary.com to place online condolences." - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/azcentral/obituary.aspx?n=Eleanor-Mae-Conger-Ellie&pid=172690221#sthash.MFt6dqsx.dpuf

Contributed on 1/19/16 by wright
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