Conrad Bering, Jr., age 93, passed away on Thursday, the 9th of April 2015. He was born on Texas Independence Day, the 2nd of March 1922, a fifth generation Houstonian, in St. Joseph’s Infirmary in Houston, Texas. One of the “Greatest Generation”.
Conrad attended Houston Public Schools beginning in Montrose Elementary, Sidney Lanier Junior High, and one year in San Jacinto High School awaiting the completion of the new Mirabeau B. Lamar Senior High School. Graduated from Lamar in Spring, 1939, the second graduating class. Enrolled in Texas A&M University on the 1st of September 1939.
He was inducted into the United States Army at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas, on the 25th of March 1943, and returned to complete the college year at Texas A&M, graduating in May, 1943 with a BA in Economics. Trained in the Quartermaster School in Camp Lee, Virginia, commissioned as a second lieutenant, and immediately transferred to the Corps of Engineers. Assigned to the 1251st Engineer Combat Battalion at Camp Swift, Bastrop, Texas. Embarked for the Port of New York, in October, 1944 for the European Theater of Operations, landing in England, and billeted in Weston-Super-Mare on the west coast of Britain. Entered Europe from Le Havre, France, in December, 1944, with service in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany earning two battle stars. Was released from active duty with the rank of captain in Jun, 1946, and served in the reserves a number of years.
In 1946, began a long dreamed of career in radio broadcasting with radio station KFDM in Beaumont, Texas. In 1951, returned to Houston and entered the real estate field with Bering Realty Corporation founded by his father. In the course of nearly 60 years as a Realtor, engaged in brokerage in the residential field primarily but with activity in developing raw land, home building, real estate appraisal, and commercial brokerage. Was active in the Houston Board of Realtors (now HAR), serving as president in 1970. Active in both the Texas and the National Association of Realtors, serving as president of the Texas Association of Realtors in 1986, and a director of the National Association of Realtors for a number of years. Recognized as Houston’s Realtor of the Year in 1972, and Texas Realtor of the Year in 1989. Recipient of the John E. Wolf Citizenship Cup in 2007. Appointed by the Governor of Texas to serve on the Advisory Committee of the Texas Real Estate Research Center, known as The Real Estate Center, at Texas A&M University.
Conrad was an active member of Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church where he served numerous terms on the Vestry, three as senior warden and one as junior warden, and several ministries of Palmer Church. He also served on boards and commissions of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas including the Protestant Episcopal Church Corporation, the Episcopal Foundation, the Bishop Quin Foundation, the Camp Allen Board, St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital Board, among others. He was formerly a director of the Spring Branch Memorial Drive Dad’s Club (now YMCA), the Houston Symphony Society, and Tanglewood Homes Association and other service activities.
He enjoyed a chilled gin martini with a suggestion of vermouth and one olive. He was known to send it back if it wasn’t prepared to his specifications.
Conrad is preceded in death by his parents, Conrad and Lorene Bering; and his brother, Donald Rogers Bering. He is survived by his wife, Helen English Bering; his sister, Barbara Bering Dundas; his son, Conrad Bering III, and wife Bernardine Freeland Bering; his son, Walter Mackenzie Bering; his daughter, Alison Bering Mountain, and husband Smoky Michael Andrew Mountain; and his grandchildren, Hannah Elise Bering, Moira Mackenzie Bering, Eleanor Bonner Bering, Mackenzie Lee Mountain, Andrew Bering Mountain, and Charlotte Faye Mountain.
Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from five o’clock in the afternoon until seven o’clock in the evening on Monday, the 13th of April, at the family residence.
The memorial service is to be conducted at one o’clock in the afternoon on Tuesday, the 14th of April, at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church, 6221 Main Street in Houston.
In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be sent to Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church Endowment, 6221 South Main, Houston, Texas 77030; Bayou Bend Gardens Endowment, P. O. Box 6826, Houston, Texas 77265-6826; Texas A&M University Former Students Association Memorial Fund, 505 George Bush Drive, College State, Texas 77840-2918; M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 287153, Houston, Texas 77207; or, a charity of the giver’s choice.
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