My Mothers Obituary Mary Clarice Conner Mary Clarice Quinn Conner, affectionately known as "Mingo," died peacefully at the age of 101 on Sunday, September 29, at her home in Mink Shoals, high on a hill, enjoying her view of the Elk River and Coonskin Park. She spent her last days on Conner Mountain with her family celebrating her life. She was born June 21, 1912, in Charleston, the middle child of John C. Quinn and Zelda F. Cook Quinn. She married her high school sweetheart, Woody Conner, and they were together for 67 years before his passing. She graduated from Charleston High School, attended Marshall College and later graduated from West Virginia State College in 1964. She was a respected teacher in art and social studies in Kanawha County schools, making and keeping many friends at her last assignment at Dunbar Junior High. Mingo was a person of many interests. She loved gardening, canning and her beloved West Virginia Mountaineers. She was an avid reader and read until she was 100. People will remember her constant whistling, which reflected the happiness of her soul. She loved being surrounded by her family and friends. She was always smiling and cheerful. She was known as "Lady CC" among her Red Hat friends. Indigo, her great-granddaughter, put it best when she said that "Mingo had a high spirit." Her real passion in life was swimming. She learned to swim as a child in the Elk River and became a Red Cross water safety instructor at a young age. She taught countless generations of children in the Kanawha Valley to swim. Some of her most treasured memories were her summers spent at National Aquatic School in Brevard, N.C., and various 4-H camps. Woody and Clarice settled in St. Albans and raised their four children. The family enjoyed camping at Blue Bend in Greenbrier County and many outdoor activities. The best times were always family get-togethers on Conner Mountain. After retirement, Clarice and Woody, along with her best friend and sister, Margaret Quinn, traveled the country extensively in their Airstream for many years. They visited almost every state and many national parks, making lifelong friends everywhere they traveled. Their adventures took them from Key West to Point Barrow, Alaska. Clarice was a woman of deep faith and an 89-year member of Bream Memorial Presbyterian Church. The afternoon that she passed, the church honored those who had been members of the congregation for over 50 years. Her place was empty but she was remembered with loving thoughts and prayers. The family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude to her loyal caregivers, the late Patricia Hood, Joy Bryant, Patricia Richards, Jo Ann Bryant and all of the loving staff from HospiceCare. Left to carry on her adventures are: daughter, Margaret "Ghee" Gossard and husband, Terry, of Charleston; granddaughter, Tracy Miller and husband, Bruce, of Bridgeport; step-great-grandchildren, Riley, Becca and Colin; granddaughter, Gretchen Graves and husband, Birch, of Sinks Groves, and great-grandchildren, Indigo Sky and Orion Crow; son, Donald Conner of Christiansburg, Va.; grandson, Joel Conner of Denver, N.C., and great-grandchildren, Kalee Salene and Joel Welch of Gastonia, N.C.; grandson, Jeremy Conner of Huntersville, N.C.; daughter, Sandra Beal and husband, Burgin, of Hampton, Ga.; grandson, Cameron Peery and wife, Tracy, of Dacula, Ga., and great-grandchildren, Ashton Crew, Amantha Dare and Braelin Kail; grandson, Casey Peery of Atlanta, Ga.; step-granddaughter, Christi Beal and husband, Russ Hardeman, and step great-grandson, Garyson Lee of Senoia, Ga.; step-grandson, Jason Beal of Daytona Beach, Fla.; son, David Lee Conner of Key West, Fla./Lake Lure, N.C. A memorial service will be in the sanctuary of Bream Memorial Presbyterian Church, located at 317 Washington St. W., on Friday, October 4, beginning at 2 p.m. A reception will immediately follow the service. Funeral arrangements are in the care of Barlow Bonsall Funeral Home. She is being cremated and a private burial will take place at the Conner Family Cemetery at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in her memory to Kanawha HospiceCare, 1606 Kanawha Blvd. W., Charleston, WV 25387.
Posted on: Wed, 02 Oct 2013 21:56:35 +0000
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