Walker Eugene Conrad

Walker Eugene ‘Gene’ Conrad, 92, of Jonesboro, died Saturday evening January 16, at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House following a brief illness. Born at the corner of Caraway Road and Stallings Lane, he was a Nettleton alumnus who worked alongside his father at the Craighead County Hatchery.

At 16, he lied about his age and was accepted into the Civilian Conservation Corps as a part of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal. He spent most of his service in Rochester, Minn., and returned to Jonesboro at the beginning of World War II. The hatchery owner got him a deferment in order for him to help raise chickens to support the war effort.

In 1942, he asked military officials to end his deferment and joined the Army Air Corps. He was eventually assigned to the 491st Bomb Group in the 854th Bomb Squadron of the 8th Air Force. He flew 41 missions as a turret gunner on a B-24, ‘The Bug,’ two of which were on D-Day, June 6, 1944. On Nov.24, 1944, he and a tail gunner from his unit were pulled off to fly another mission with a different crew.

The B-24 Liberator was struck by anti-aircraft over Misburg, Germany, and he took 22 pieces of shrapnel to his right hip and leg before bailing out of the disabled aircraft. Upon capture in a sugar beet field, the Nazis incarcerated him in a dungeon, where he contracted diphtheria. Only giving his name, rank and serial number when questioned by the Nazis, they broke both his legs just above the ankles to keep him from escaping. Later taken to the infirmary, he lived because a Dutch doctor would sneak chocolate to him to keep him alive.

Gen. George Patton’s 11th Armored Division freed him from captivity after 179 days. From there he returned to the Mid-South and recovered at Kennedy Army Hospital in Memphis. For his service to his country, Conrad was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the EAMA Campaign Medal with one Bronze Star, the Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Good Conduct Medal and the Purple Heart. Also, he was inducted into the inaugural group of the Arkansas Military Veterans Hall of Fame.

After he was discharged he returned to Jonesboro where his sister introduced him to Jane Schakleford Allen, who had two children, James Earl Allen and Martha Janis Allen. The couple married and in 1949, had a son Thomas Eugene Conrad. The Conrads were married 51 years.

The couple was employed by Frolic Footwear until 1960, when they moved to Acworth, Ga., and joined the McLaurin Shoe Company in Marietta, Ga., where Conrad eventually became the plant’s general manager. In 1973, the Conrads moved to Little Rock, Ark., and he was named regional sales manager for King Adhesives of St. Louis. The couple retired to Mossy Shoals on the Little Red River near Pangburn in 1980.

Jane died in 1998. He became reacquainted with and married Margaret Davis in 1999; they were married almost 16 years before she died in June 2015. In addition to his wives, he was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Haden Conrad and Laura Edna Blandford Conrad; children, Tommy Conrad in 1969, Jimmy Allen in 1986 and Janis Monroe in 1995; three sisters, Mary Lee, Sally and Clarice; and two brothers, Charlie and Elmer.

He is survived by his grandchildren Diana Monroe of Jonesboro, John Scott Monroe of Salida, Colo., Joe Monroe (Tonya) of Bay, James Allen (Leah) of Lindale Texas, Amanda Allen (Vince) Weigand of Liberty, S.C., Samantha Allen of Easley, S.C.; a daughter-in-law, Charlotte Allen of Easley, S.C.; brothers-in-law Bud Reece (Linda) and Jerry (Carolyn) Reece, all of Jonesboro; two sisters-in-law, Brenda Reece Ingram of San Antonio and Virginia Fielder of Memphis; nephews Albert (Sally) Harris of St. Louis and Richard (Paula) Harris of Conway; a niece, Sue Mathes of Jonesboro, eight great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren; several cousins and many friends.

Visitation will be Tuesday from 5-7 p.m. at Emerson Funeral Home in Jonesboro. Graveside services will be at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 20, at City Cemetery in Jonesboro with Rev. Stan Ballard officiating.

In lieu of flowers, gifts to the Disabled American Veterans, the Beck PRIDE Center for America’s Wounded Veterans at Arkansas State University or the the Wounded Warrior Project would be most appreciated.