CONRAD -- John "Joe," 87, passed away Friday, April 8, 2005 in Tulsa. Born May 8, 1917 in Gentry, AR, Joe served the United States in World War II as a Marine Aviation Cadet. He flew over 80 combat missions, in which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross an honorable five times. After retiring from the military in 1947 as Lt. Colonel, Joe returned to Arkansas where he remained active in the Marine Corps Aviation Association. There he wed a Miss June Denby of Hot Springs, who preceded him in death at the age of 71. Several years after June's death, Joe succeeded in finding a former love, Ms. Sherel Brady, a naval nurse whom he had dated during World War II. Joe and Sherel rekindled their romance and were happily married in October of 1997. Joe is survived by: his brother, Carlton Conrad of Wilmington, DE; his cousin, Edward Douglas of Hot Springs; wife, Sherel Conrad of Tulsa; her children, Anne Vance, Clare Ashby Carpenter, Stephen Brady, all of Tulsa; and grandchildren, Erin, Eric, Lindsay, Maggie, and Pierce. Joe was an avid sports fan closely following golf, basketball, and football, and he had a special affinity for collegiate sports. Joe was also a great friend, keeping in touch with many of his fellow marines and attending the 131st Squadron military reunions as often as possible. Joe personified unconditional love and acceptance. Our lives are richer because he had been and always will be a part of it.
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