Betty Naomi Conrad
December 9, 1925 — August 2, 2018
Betty N. Conrad, 92, of Manchester, Iowa passed away of natural causes, Thursday, August 2, 2018. Visitation from 11:00 - 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 8, 2018, at the Gospel Hall, Manchester, with Funeral Services to follow at 1:30 p.m. Burial: Oakland Cemetery, Manchester. Arrangements with Bohnenkamp - Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Manchester.
Betty was born on a farm in rural Manchester on December 9, 1925, to Silas and Carrie Smith. She lived a humble life through the Depression, helping with all the manual work on the farm. She talked about milking six cows night and morning by hand, working the horses doing field work, helping her mother around the house with the cooking, baking, and caring for her younger siblings. Because of the demands at home for her to work around the farm, her formal education ended when she finished 8th grade. Her life lessons never ended, and her domestic skills and common sense development was insurmountable and served her well through her 92 years. Betty married Mahlon Willis Conrad, II at the age of 18 in 1944 when he returned from serving during WW2 in Australia. She was with Willis in Nebraska and Arizona when he completed his service in the Air Corp. The courtship was pretty much only by mail during his deployment. Their marriage created three children, Bettina, Mahlon, and Steve. Because Bettina was born a small person, Betty cared for her until she passed at 28 years of age. Betty loved being a mother and caring for her children so she became a licensed home child care provider and at times would have 8 – 10 kids under her care. Betty and Willis traveled for a month to Australia for their 50th Wedding Anniversary.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Mahlon Willis Conrad; daughter, Bettina Conrad; 2 daughters-in-law, Marcia Conrad and Roxanne Conrad; 3 brothers and 4 sisters, Arba, Doran, Donald, Belle, Mae, Corinne, and Emma. Betty’s memory and sharpness of thought was with her to the end and often looked to for advice or family history. She was a member of the Gospel Hall in Manchester from her youth until passing. Her faith and devotion to God and Jesus lead her through her life.
She is survived by her sons, Mahlon “Mal” and Steve; grandsons, Chris and Luke; and three great-grandkids, Bailey, Sydney, and Caden; her sister, Ruth Moser; and many nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be directed to Manchester Gospel Hall or Camp Courageous of Iowa.
Betty was born on a farm in rural Manchester on December 9, 1925, to Silas and Carrie Smith. She lived a humble life through the Depression, helping with all the manual work on the farm. She talked about milking six cows night and morning by hand, working the horses doing field work, helping her mother around the house with the cooking, baking, and caring for her younger siblings. Because of the demands at home for her to work around the farm, her formal education ended when she finished 8th grade. Her life lessons never ended, and her domestic skills and common sense development was insurmountable and served her well through her 92 years. Betty married Mahlon Willis Conrad, II at the age of 18 in 1944 when he returned from serving during WW2 in Australia. She was with Willis in Nebraska and Arizona when he completed his service in the Air Corp. The courtship was pretty much only by mail during his deployment. Their marriage created three children, Bettina, Mahlon, and Steve. Because Bettina was born a small person, Betty cared for her until she passed at 28 years of age. Betty loved being a mother and caring for her children so she became a licensed home child care provider and at times would have 8 – 10 kids under her care. Betty and Willis traveled for a month to Australia for their 50th Wedding Anniversary.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Mahlon Willis Conrad; daughter, Bettina Conrad; 2 daughters-in-law, Marcia Conrad and Roxanne Conrad; 3 brothers and 4 sisters, Arba, Doran, Donald, Belle, Mae, Corinne, and Emma. Betty’s memory and sharpness of thought was with her to the end and often looked to for advice or family history. She was a member of the Gospel Hall in Manchester from her youth until passing. Her faith and devotion to God and Jesus lead her through her life.
She is survived by her sons, Mahlon “Mal” and Steve; grandsons, Chris and Luke; and three great-grandkids, Bailey, Sydney, and Caden; her sister, Ruth Moser; and many nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be directed to Manchester Gospel Hall or Camp Courageous of Iowa.
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