Duane P. Conrad

Duane Conrad, 90, passed away January 6, 2013 at the Knoxville Area Community Hospital. Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday, January 9th at 10:00 a.m. at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Melcher-Dallas. Interment will be at the Sacred Heart Cemetery. Family will receive friends on Tuesday evening from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at the church. Memorials are requested to the Melcher-Dallas Athletic Booster Club or to Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Online condolences for the family may be left at www.pierschbacherfuneralhome.com. Duane was born on the family farm on July 4, 1922 to Lawrence and Amelia (Bauer) Conrad. He graduated from Melcher High School in 1941, where he was a four sport letterman. He turned down a football scholarship to work on the family farm. Duane enlisted in the Navy in 1944 and served aboard the cruiser USS San Juan in the Pacific Theater. His was the first ship to enter Tokyo Bay at the conclusion of the war. He served occupation duty in Japan and then returned to the U.S. to be Honorably Discharged in 1946. Duane married Mary Cornwell in October 1954. They raised four children on the family farm. Family was always the center of Duane and Mary's life together. Duane had a great love of the farm; and was proud that it is now a Century Farm. Duane was elected Post Master in Dallas in 1966, and served briefly as post master in Lacona until retiring in 1990. He was an avid sportsman, hunter, and fisherman. Preceding Duane in death were his parents; wife Mary in 2003; siblings: Arnold Conrad, Raymond Conrad, Geraldine Bailey, and Gladys Nelson. Surviving are children: Becky Conrad of Winterset, Kelly (Rhonda) Conrad of Ottumwa, Jim (Karen) Conrad of Papillion, NE, and Chris (Laura) Conrad of Centerville; 9 grandchildren; and siblings: Esther Knight of Des Moines, Kathy (Bob) Stickle of Knoxville, Madonna Ennis of Mexico City, Mexico, and sister-in-law, Lucille Conrad of Knoxville. The family wishes to thank the wonderful community of Melcher-Dallas for their many acts of kindness and support.