Wells Family - Person Sheet
Wells Family - Person Sheet
NameJohn William Conrow
Birth17 Apr 1937, Manhattan, Riley Co, KS
Death4 Jan 2012, Fayetteville, Washington Co, AR
BurialFairview Memorial Gardens, Fayetteville, Washington Co, AR
FatherJohn Warren Conrow (1897-1967)
Misc. Notes
John William (Bill) Conrow, 74, of Fayetteville, passed from this earth on January 4, 2012 at Washington Regional Medical Center.
Bill was born in Manhattan, Kansas on April 17, 1937 to John and Betty Conrow.
He attended public schools in Manhattan and was a member of the football, basketball, and track team. After high school, he went to Utah for one year on a NROTC scholarship and played basketball. After one year he returned to Kansas and attended Kansas State University at Pittsburg, Kansas. After graduation, he secured a teaching job in Olathe, Kansas where he taught math and coached basketball and track and assisted in football.
In 1961, he met Juliann Matthis on a blind date arranged by mutual friends. They were married in 1962 in her hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Bill taught at Olathe Junior High for 6 years. During this time, he returned to Pittsburg, Kansas during the summer months working on their master's degree. He received his masters in 1965. He, his wife, and their 2 year old daughter moved to Fayetteville that same year.
He worked at Northwest Arkansas Supplementary Education Center, housed in the old Hillcrest School. This was a government subsidized program designed to help potential school drop outs and children with learning difficulties. After the program was cancelled, he was hired at Woodland Junior High School where he taught algebra and geometry for 29 years. During those 29 years he never took a sick day. During this time, he coached the girls track team and assisted the coaches with football and basketball. After his retirement he continued to substitute when called and he continued to work with the coaches keeping stats and time clock. He gave his time and talents to Woodland Junior High School for a total of 36 years. He followed his student's progress through Fayetteville High School, college and adulthood. His loyalty to the Woodland Cowboys was surpassed only by his loyalty to the Kansas State Wildcats and Arkansas Razorbacks.
His greatest pleasure was to attend the athletic and school events of his daughter and son. When his grandchildren were old enough to participate, he never missed a game. You could always tell Bill was in the stands, especially if he disagreed with the officiating.
Bill never met a stranger. He would always start a conversation anywhere with anyone. His favorite question was "where are you from" and the conversation would go from there.
Bill also volunteered at Root Elementary School helping his friend Mary Lou Miller with her first grade class. He helped her students to learn to use a ruler and measurements. He also volunteered at Butterfield Elementary School. He volunteered at Community Meals at Central United Methodist Church and served two terms as president of the Northwest Arkansas Retired Teachers Association. He volunteered for 5 years with the AARP Free Tax Organization preparing income taxes at the Washington County Courthouse.
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, John and Betty Conrow, one brother, Warren Conrow, a granddaughter, Heather Spears, and a son-in-law, Benny Spears.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Juliann Conrow of the home, a daughter, Karen Rorex and her husband Bryan, of Fayetteville, a son, Dr. David Conrow of Huston, Texas, two granddaughters, Sarah Spears and Hannah Spears, a grandson, Matthew Spears, all of Fayetteville, a brother, Stan Conrow and his wife Beverly, of Haskell, Texas, two aunts and many cousins.
Funeral services will be held at Central United Methodist Church at 2:00 p.m., Monday, January 9, 2012. Burial will be at Fairview Gardens.
Arrangements are under the direction of Nelson-Berna Funeral Home, Fayetteville, AR.
Last Modified 18 Jun 2015Created 1 Jun 2023 using Reunion on a Mac