Wallowa, Oregon
Joyce Lee Conner died Aug. 29, 2006. She was 71.
Mrs. Conner was born April 4, 1935, in Wallowa. She graduated from Wallowa High School in 1953. She did all of the artwork for her high school yearbook, was a song leader, a member of the student council, and was the basketball homecoming queen. She enjoyed hours of horse back riding with friends. After graduating from high school, she earned her certificate to become a dental assistant in Walla Walla, Wash. On Nov. 24, 1955 she married Sid Conner, her brother’s classmate from Wallowa High School. They were married for 49 years until his death in May 2005.
The couple moved to Seattle. Mrs. Conner worked as a dental assistant, while her husband attended pharmacy school. In 1968, they moved to Waitsburg, Wash. after purchasing the drug store and pharmacy. She worked as a sales associate for many years until she retired in 1995.
Mrs. Conner was active in many organizations in Waitsburg, Wash. She was a Blue Bird leader, a Camp Fire Girl leader, a Sunday school teacher, and a Jr. High Church Group leader. She was a member of the Presbyterian Church. She was also involved with Friends of the Library, as well as the P.E.O. organization. After their retirement in 1995, Mrs. Conner and her husband bought a house in north Richland in order to be closer to their daughters and grandkids.
Mrs. Conner loved the outdoors. She and her husband purchased a camper, where they took their young family on many vacations. They would take long day trips, traveling to the Blue Mountains to search for mushrooms. She was a very creative person; enjoying painting, ceramics and flower arranging. She also loved her garden of flowers and vegetables. She was an avid reader and a great cook. She had a wonderful sense of humor and loved to laugh.
Mrs. Conner is survived by her three daughters Cassandra Leid and grandson Nick; Jennie DeVine and husband Denny and grandchildren Danae, Jalen, and Jared; and Mary Conner. She was preceded in death by her husband Sid, her parents Floyd and Grace Thomason and her brother Buddy.
Services will be held at the Wallowa Cemetery at 2 p.m. on Sept. 10, 2006. Refreshments and cake will be served at the Wallowa Senior Center immediately afterwards.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the local Breast Cancer Society.
Wallowa County Chieftain, September 7, 2006 (Photo with obituary)