George Ringland Conger III

Geroge Ringland Conger III, was born July 31, 1935, in Washington, Pennsylvania. He was always quick to point out that he was a born again Christian, saved on April 2, 1951, at a city-wide evangelistic crusade in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

He died on September 14, 2020.

After graduating from Ft. Lauderdale High School in 1953, he embarked upon a long season of formal education, receiving his bachelor’s (1961) and master’s degree (1965) from the University of Miami and his Ph.D. from Florida State University (1968). His formal biblical training was taken at Columbia Bible College in South Carolina and the Luther Rice Seminary in Jacksonville, Florida.

While undergoing Navy pilot training in Pensacola, Florida, he met and in 1958, he married Barbara Ann Evans, an elementary school teacher from Meridian, Mississippi.

Dr. Conger’s primary career was in the field of higher education from which he retired in 1998 after serving for nineteen years as the President of Aims Community College in Greeley. However, before moving to Colorado he was a pharmaceutical detailman for Wyeth Laboratories, a certified SCUBA instructor, Personnel Director with Miami-Dade Community College for Teachers in Tennessee and Executive Vice President at Santa Fe Community College in Gainesville, Florida.

Following his retirement he served briefly as a stockbroker, a tax consultant and a consultant to community colleges in the states of Connecticut and Washington. He was also a customer relations representative for the Colorado Rockies Baseball Organization and a pulpit supply speaker.

Prior to his retirement from Aims College he was active in community life having served as the President of the Greeley Rotary Club, Chairman of the United Way Fund Drive, a committeeman on the Greeley Independence Stampede, President of the Greeley Area Chamber of Commerce, President of the Greeley Coin Club, Director of the 1st Colorado Bank of Greeley and Bank One of Greeley, a member and designated speaker in the Centennial Camp of Gideon’s International, active with the Christian Motorcyclist Association, the Greeley Chapter of the Harley Owners Group, the Paralyzed Veterans of America, Marine Corps League Detachment 1093, Past Commander of Greeley Chapter 8 of the Disabled American Veterans, active in Century Masonic Lodge 190, the Greeley County Club and Moderator for the Rocky Mountain Conference of the United Church of Christ. He was selected Elks Man of the Year in 1983. He served for three years on the advisory board of the Weld County Area Agency on Aging. Dr. Conger hosted a local television talk show for six years on Greeley Cablevision and he was nominated for an Emmy in 1984.

His interest were varied, including RVing, snow and water skiing, racquetball, golf and hiking. But these activities were curtailed in 2005 when he was diagnosed with progressive Multiple Sclerosis. He was designated President Emeritus of Aims College and appointed as an Aims College Fellow. In 2017, he was named a Trustee of the High Plains Library District. Dr. Conger authored several books dealing with SCUBA diving, prayer, and the Indian Head Cent, leadership and Naval Aviation. He was a parlor magician and a spirted after-dinner speaker.

Dr. Conger is survived by his son, Greg, his daughter, Leslie, and eight exceptional grandchildren: Holly and Kayti Conger; Presley, Alex, Garrett, Noah, Joshua and Gabrielle Davis; and a lovely daughter-in-law, Sharon Conger.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Gideon’s International or the Multiple Sclerosis Society.