After suffering a stroke on June 28, Charles Alva Conn went to be with his Lord on July 19, 2018. He was born in Lewis County, Kentucky on September 19, 1922 to Harvey C. Conn and Bertha (Cole) Conn. He grew up on a farm in north-central Kentucky, completed the 8th grade in the Lewis County, Kentucky Public Schools and was a proud graduate of the School of Hard Knocks. He moved to Ohio to get a job on the railroad in Crestline, Ohio. There he met Betty Jean Maddy of Crestline and married her on May 10, 1942, in Maysville, Kentucky. They were married 76 years. He and Betty, lived in Crestline until January of 2017 when they moved to Belmont Tower in Ashland, Ohio.
Charles worked for the Pennsylvania Railroad, later the Penn-Central Railroad, for 28 years first as a car inspector and later as a conductor. In 1968 he began working at the General Electric Lamp Plant in Bucyrus, Ohio, and stayed there for 19 years, retiring in 1987. While at GE he was president of Local IUE 704 for 14 years.
During World War II he served in the 84th Infantry Division of the United States Army, known as the Rail-splitters, from December 1942 until December 1945, seeing action in Europe and the Battle of the Bulge.
He was a long-time member of Trinity Lutheran Church of Crestline, serving on the church council and was chairman of the trustees. He was active in the Crestline Area Democrat Club and was awarded the 1st Ed DeVol Distinguished Service Award for commitment and dedication to the Democrats of Crawford County. He served on the Crawford County Facilities Review Board for several years and on the Crawford County Regional Planning Commission. He was a life member of the American Legion Post 488, Crestline and the VFW Post 2920, Crestline, a member of the Galion Lodge #414 Free and Accepted Masons, Galion, and a past member of Arcana Lodge #272 Free and Accepted Masons, Crestline, a 32nd Degree member of the Scottish Valley of Columbus, and a member of the Aladdin Temple Shrine of Columbus, Ohio.
Early in his life he enjoyed fishing and hunting, but when Valley View Golf Course of Galion, Ohio, opened he fell in love with the game of golf, spending many hours with friends and family on any available golf course.
He was preceded in death by a son, David Conn, both parents, his brothers, Hiram Morton Conn, Raymond Conn, Clyde Conn, James Conn, John Curtis Conn and his sister, Elizabeth Lucille Conn Bond.
He is survived by his wife, Betty Jean (Maddy) Conn, his brother, Bruce Conn of Jeffersonville, OH, his three daughters: Linda (Jim) Elliott of Raleigh, NC, Judy (Ted) Eise of Raleigh, NC and Gail (Harold) Warnes of Ashland, OH, his five granddaughters: Lisa Eise of Raleigh, NC, Lori Eise Lundquist of Sanford, NC, Hillary Warnes (Chris) Vonhof of Medina, OH, Jennifer Elliott (Curtis) Ray of Raleigh, NC and Gwendolyn Warnes (Patrick) Faller of New Philadelphia, OH, and his great-grandchildren: Kayla, Wade and Braden Ray; Connor Lundquist; and Jonathan, Jacob, and Abigail Vonhof; and Fintan Faller.
Calling hours are Tuesday, July 24, 2018 from 4:00-7:00 PM at the Schneider-Gompf Funeral Home, 223 West Main Street, Crestline. Masonic Services will be held at 7:00 PM at the funeral home. His Funeral service will be held on Wednesday, July 25, 2018 at the Trinity Lutheran Church, 410 North Thoman Street, Crestline. Friends may visit with the family at the church from 10:00 AM until the funeral service at 11:00 AM, with Pastor Diana Seaman officiating. Burial will follow in Greenlawn Cemetery, Crestline, where full military honors will be given by the U.S. Army and the Crestline/Galion Veterans Military Funeral Detail.
If you wish to make a donation in lieu of flowers, please do so to the Memorial Fund at Trinity Lutheran Church, 410 N. Thoman Street, Crestline, Ohio 44827.
Those wishing to share a memory or would like to express a condolence to the Conn family may do so by visiting www.masfh.com.