James Conway Obituary

James H. Conway, 90, Tonganoxie, KS, died Sunday March 18, 2012 at the Tonganoxie Nursing Center. Funeral services will be at 9 a.m. Friday March 23, 2012 at the United Methodist Church, Tonganoxie. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Thursday at the Quisenberry Funeral Home, Tonganoxie. Burial will be in the National Cemetery, Leavenworth, KS. James was born April 20, 1921 in Dexter, Minnesota, the son of Robert W. and Anne Conway. He attended school in Dexter, MN and graduated from high school in Austin, MN in 1939. He was united in marriage to Lela K. Wheeler, the daughter of William L. and Edith Wheeler, on June 28, 1942. They lived in Los Angeles, CA until he entered the US Army at Fort MacArthur, CA in 1942. During the next four years he served in the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, the 76th Division and completed the Aviation Cadet Pilot Regiment Training Program, receiving his wings and lieutenant bars at Dotham, Alabama. Following an assignment as a flight instructor, he completed his active military service flying in B-29's with the 509th Composite Bomber Group. Following his military service he and Lela moved to Noel, MO where they had a business and he attended the University of Arkansas. In 1951 they moved to Lincoln, NE and he graduated from the University of Nebraska in 1953. He taught for two years in Frankfort, KS High School before taking a teaching position in Tonganoxie in 1955. He retired from the Tonganoxie School system in 1986 after 31 years as a high schools mathematics teacher, high school principal and elementary school principal. He was a life member of the American Legion, Topeka Post #58 and the Disabled American Veterans, Wyandotte County Memorial Chapter #1. He was also a member of the United Methodist Church, Tonganoxie. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lela, on September 21, 2009 and an infant son, Thomas Howard, who died in Amarillo, TX in 1944. He is survived by his five children, Michael (Micky) Conway, Kansas City, MO, Mary Conway Dodge (Gary), Tonganoxie, KS, John (Kathy) Conway, Loveland, CO, Jeanne Conway Murry (Pat), Olathe, KS and Kelly (Janice) Conway, Topeka, KS; a sister, Evelyn Parker, Guthrie, OK; 8 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren. Memorials are suggested to the United Methodist Church of Tonganoxie. Sign the guestbook at www.quisenberryfh.com .