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Ronald Lee Conley, youngest child of Cora Belle Keller Conley, was born Dec.12, 1934, in Knowlton, Iowa, exactly two months after the death of his father, Thomas Hartford Conley. He was welcomed into the home by sisters Vesta Maxine, Marjorie Geraldine, Retha Marie, and brother Donald Everett. His mother later remarried and he had a stepfather, Claude Byerly.
As a young child, Ronald lived in Knowlton, where he attended school through the eighth grade and then transferred to the Diagonal Community School where he graduated in 1953. After graduation he worked for area farmers before joining the United States Army on October 27, 1954. He was honorably discharged on August 8, 1956. Upon returning home, he began employment with the Derry Oil Company in Lamoni, Iowa. He later began employment with Warin Oil Company where he worked for 28 years. Upon the closing of the Maloy station, he then began working for Reasoner’s gas station in Creston and later retired from Franklin Standard in Creston on March 26, 2005.
On Friday, Jan. 3, 1958, Ronald was united in marriage to Betty Lou Dugan Conley in Lamoni, Iowa. They lived in Maloy while raising daughters Cynthia Anne and Colleen Dianne. On October 2, 1993, they made their final move to Mount Ayr to be closer to the grandkids activities.
Grandpa was his favorite title. He never missed any activities that any of the grandkids participated in.
On Jan, 2, 2022, at the age of 87, Ronald joined his lord and savior in heaven at the Ringgold County Hospital in Mount Ayr. He was surrounded by his two daughters and two granddaughters. He was welcomed into heaven by his beloved wife Betty, two days shy of what would have been their 64th wedding anniversary
Left to cherish his memory are his two daughters, Cynthia Anne (Cindy) and her husband Martin Tonsfeldt of Ogden, Iowa, and Collen Dianne and her husband Edward Minnick of Mount Ayr, two granddaughters, Kylee Breanne Minnick Fleharty and husband Cory of Clearfield, and Nicole Raeanne Minnick Thomas and husband Dreu of Mount Ayr. Two step granddaughters Jill Losh and husband Tom of Homewood, Illinois, and Michelle Johnson and husband Bruce of Clermont, Florida. Great-grandsons Payton and Preston Fleharty, and Sawyer Thomas, great-granddaughters Paisley Fleharty and Huxlee Thomas. Three step great-grandsons Ryan Struble, Tommy Losh, and Carter Johnson, one step great granddaughter Mackenzie Johnson, sister-in-law Barbara Goodard of Dacono, Colorado, brothers-in-law Ed Dugan and wife Cindy of Mount Ayr, Mike Dugan and wife Joni of Diagonal, and several nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Visitation will be held 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 4, at Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr, with family present 6 to 7 p.m. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial, with military honors, will be in Rose Hill Cemetery. Memorials are in Ron’s name for a memorial bench at the Mount Ayr High School Baseball Field.