John Conley

JOHN CONLEY

Anamosa

John Conley, 76, of Anamosa, died Wednesday, Jan. 20, 2021, at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City from an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Due to the current health pandemic, a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at a later date.

John Albert Conley was born Feb. 2, 1944, in Monticello, the son of Raymond John and Maria Amelia (Weers) Conley. He attended the rural Cass school through the eighth grade and worked on several neighborhood farms growing up. In the early 1960s he stole a tray from the Wheel Inn in Anamosa in an attempt to steal the heart of Renee McNamer. He succeeded and they were married on Aug. 23, 1963, at St. Joseph's Rectory in Stone City. He was employed as an attendant at several gas stations in Anamosa, briefly for the Jones County Roads Department, and Franklin Equipment, Monticello, and Theisen's in Anamosa. In 1969 he went to work at the Cedar Rapids Country Club and ended his 50-year career there as a mechanic in 2019.

John enjoyed spending time with family and friends, working on his Case and John Deere tractors, pushing snow, splitting wood, and just tinkering on nearly every kind of engine. He was always there to lend a helping hand to anybody who needed help, especially with lawn mowers, cars and snow blowers. He was a collector of toy tractors and other cool cars and trucks.

John will be remembered as a quiet but steady man of devout Catholic faith who attended Mass regularly at St. Patrick's in Anamosa, St. Luke's in Hopkinton, St. John's in Delhi and St. Patrick's in Ryan.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Renee; sons, Bryan (Geraldine), Stone City, and Wayne, Anamosa; daughters, Angela (Vince) Giovannone, Skokie, Ill., Monica Conley and Heather Conley, both of Anamosa; grandchildren, Matthew Conley, Nick Conley, Nyssa Conley, Amber (Chris) Mitchell, Megan Conley, Patrick Conley, Jenna Conley, Sarah Conley and Leela Giovannone; a great-grandchild, Rory Mitchell; two honorary great-grandchildren, Marvel Petersen and Van Petersen; and cousins, Elaine (Ron) Siebels, Bill Weers and Ralph Weers.

He was preceded in death by a daughter, Roseanne; a son, Stephen; a grandson, Nathan Conley; his parents; a brother, Wilbur; and a sister, Deloris.

The family would like to thank Jenna Conley, the staff at Jones Regional Medical Center, the helicopter flight team and entire staff of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics for their heroic effort to keep John with us.

John also was given the opportunity to help hundreds of people in need by donation of anatomical gifts through the Iowa Donor Network.

Memorials may be directed to the family.