Thomas Lawrence Conner was born March 19,1923 in Grand Rapids MI the son of Lawrence and Lona Voelker Conner and died Monday October 22, 2007 at his home in Ionia MI. He attended Ionia, Michigan Public Schools and Michigan State College. During WW II he served with the Army Air Corps in India and China. In 1948 Mr. Conner married Mary Virginia Howell of Arlington, Virginia in Washington DC.
In 1947 he launched a diverse business career, many of the organizations running simultaneously: Specialty Products Distributors, Washington DC, Conner Office Equipment, Conner’s Furniture, Ionia, MI; Conner Discounter’s, Belding MI, Tom Conner Realty, Maderia Beach, Florida, Carlo Corporation, Grand Rapids MI, Beauty Plus, Inc. Greenville, Ionia and Grand Rapids MI, Conner Auto Supply, Greenville and Ionia MI (owned and operated for twelve years launched by his father Lawrence Conner).
Mr. Conner’s wife Mary died in 1980. He married Leone Anne Ostrander at the First Baptist Church in Greenville, MI in 1982. He retired in 1984. While retired Mr. Conner has written a novel “Return to Rapid River.” During retirement Mr. And Mrs. Conner have been spending the winter months in a warmer climate.
Mr. Conner is survived by his wife of 25 years Leone of Ionia, his daughter Karen and Steven Zdon of Alger, MI, his son Stephen H. Conner of Grand Rapids, his grandchildren, Heather and Marty Pochmara and Meredith and Cary Hicks, great grandchildren, Sarah and Madeline, his step children, Valerie and Murray Wise of Naples, Fl., Marshall Derek Johnson of Stuart, FL and Mitchall Davis Johnson of Hugo, Minnesota, step grand children; Ryan, Cody, Ashley Johnson, J.D. Steed, Heidi Hatton, Felicia, Serena and Julianna Johnson, step great grandchildren, Will, Sam, Anna Grace, Scott, Kyle and Connor, his wife’s sisters; Laura Lee and Larry McCrory of Altoona Iowa and Gloria and Jim Cole of Sand Lake.
Funeral services will be Thursday October 25, 2007 at 7 PM at First Baptist Church of Greenville with Rev. Paul Dickson officiating. Burial and committal services will be 10 AM Friday at Balcom Cemetery, Ionia. Visitation will be from 5-7 PM at the church on Thursday. Memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church or Hospice of Michigan.
