JOHN F. JACK CONRAD John Francis "Jack" Conrad, 83, a retired business man, died May 4, 2016, in Scottsdale, AZ, at the home of his son BJ and daughter-in-law Paula. Jack was born in Maryland and grew up on Long Island, where he developed a life-long love for the Dodgers. He graduated from Steubenville, OH, High School in 1950, and then earned a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from Purdue University in 1954. He earned an MBA from the University of Hawaii in 1975. He was a licensed industrial engineer and held a California real estate broker's license. Jack served in ROTC in college, then was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army on January 2, 1955. A Ranger and veteran of the Korean War, he spent most of his service at Fort Riley, KS, with the 531 Transportation Corps. He achieved the rank of first lieutenant before leaving the Army on March 27, 1957. After his discharge, Jack and his family moved to La Mirada, CA. In 1958, he moved to Forest Hills, Pennsylvania, where he worked for U.S. Steel and then Westinghouse. In 1963 he moved to Montclair, CA for a few months, where he worked for General Dynamics, before he joined C. Brewer and Company in Hilo, HI in January 1964. After working for Brewer for 9 years both in Hilo and in Wailuku, Maui, he joined Alexander & Baldwin as Director of Development for the Wailea Resort on Maui, during which time he lived in Honolulu and in Sprecklesville, Maui. In 1979, Jack moved his family to the Bay Area and worked for Gabrielsen & Company before joining the Port of San Francisco as Director of Finance and Administration. He retired from the City and County of San Francisco in 1993 to care for his wife, Pat, during her battle with brain cancer. After her death, he joined Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. in Las Vegas and then Phoenix as a Business Associate from 1996-2005. In 1998, he married Norma Easley Potts and they resided in Lincoln, CA. Norma recently relocated to her native state of Oklahoma to live near her daughter's family and friends, while Jack moved last month to Scottsdale to live with BJ and Paula. An avid sportsman and enthusiast, Jack played lacrosse and squash in school, and then regularly engaged in softball, bowling, golf, diving, and hiking. He traveled extensively, proud that he had taken the official tour in all 50 state capitol buildings, as well as Europe, Central and South America, and Australia. He loved trains, going back to his youth when he was free to ride the Pennsylvania Railroad because of his father's job. He played poker three times a week in Lincoln for years. He had a good sense of humor, which he kept right until his last days. Jack strongly supported youth athletics for many years, serving as a coach for football and baseball. He also supported the US Olympic Team and Special Olympics. He enjoyed watching and supporting his grandchildren's athletics, from pre-school athletic programs all the way through watching them play in college. He was extremely proud of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, enjoyed his time with them, and kept up regular contact with them all. Jack was a long-time member of the American Legion, the Germany 40 & 8ers Association, ANAVICUS, the Purdue University Alumni Association, Sons of the American Revolution, and Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. He was very proud of the military service of his son, Kevin (Captain, USA) and grandson John W. Baker (Major, USAF). Jack is survived by his wife, Norma J. Conrad, of Norman, Oklahoma; 7 children: John R. (Paula Vessels) of Scottsdale, AZ; Catherine S. Baker of New River, AZ; Brian P. (Heidi Dinkel) of Oro Valley, AZ; Robert J. (Kristy) of Ione, CA; Patricia A. Wall (Rich) of Ridgefield, CT; Mark E. (Karin) of Karlshamn, Sweden; and Kevin T. (Suzanne) of Folsom, CA; 16 grandchildren, and 2 great- grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents, Regis J. and Catherine M. Conrad, his first wife, Vivian L. White, his second wife, Patricia A. English, his brothers Robert J., Joseph H., and Donald W., and his sister, Celeste M. Visitation and rosary will be held at Messinger Mortuary, 8555 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, Scottsdale, AZ on May 13, 2016 508 PM, followed by a Celebration of Life Service at the same location Saturday, May 14, starting at 1:00 PM. Interment will be at San Joaquin Valley National Cemetery in Gustine, CA, Monday, May 16 at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the National Brain Tumor Society, 55 Chapel St., Suite 200, Newton, MA 02458.
Our deepest condolences to the family and friends of the deceased
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