Robert Drew Conger Jr.

Robert Drew “Bob” Conger Jr., a lifelong resident of Jackson, died in his home on September 20, 2011. Funeral services will be at First Presbyterian Church at 2 pm on Saturday, September 24, 2011, preceded by a Masonic graveside service conducted by Scott Conger at Riverside Cemetery at 1 p.m. Visitation will be at George Smith and Sons Funeral Home, North Chapel, from 4 pm to 7 pm on Friday, September 23, 2011.

“Faith in God gives meaning and purpose to human life”

“Service to humanity is the best work of life”

These are two lines from the Jaycee Creed that guided the life of Bob Conger.

Bob was born in Jackson, Tennessee on January 27, 1928 to the late Robert Drew and Utopia Lansden Conger. He was active in Boy Scouts and attained the rank of Eagle Scout as a young man. He attended Alexander Elementary, Jackson Junior High, and in 1946 graduated from Jackson High School. After high school Bob joined the U.S. Army where he served in Japan in the Army of Occupation. Upon returning from the Army he worked at the family lumber company and attended summer school at Lambuth College. He enrolled at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville where he participated in a reciprocal program with Georgia Tech. He received a degree in architecture from Georgia Tech in 1952.

In July 1952 he married Virginia Maroney. Jackson remained their home throughout their marriage, except in 1961, when Bob was the President of the United States Jaycees and they made their home in Tulsa, Oklahoma for one year.

Bob was a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, which he joined by profession of faith on April 5, 1934 at the age of six. He was an active member and devout Christian. He served as an elder and taught numerous Sunday School classes over the years. He was on the Board of Directors for Habitat for Humanity.

Bob was active in many civic clubs and organizations, including Jackson Rotary Club (past president), Jackson Jaycees (past president), Tennessee Jaycees (past president), U.S. Jaycees (past president), Jackson Lodge #45 F. and A.M. (past Master), York Rite, Scottish Rite, Shriners, and BPO Elks.

He had a great deal of business experience as well. He was a partner in Conger-Parker Lumber Company and Conger-Parker Ready-Mix Concrete Company, Director of the Tennessee Building Materials Dealers Association, an organizer and charter board member of Jackson State Bank, member of the board of directors of Kelly Foods, and an economic development consultant for the Jackson Chamber of Commerce.

He had a passion for the city of Jackson and considered it an honor to have served as mayor from July 1967 to December 1988. He once said he believed his biggest accomplishment as mayor was “to keep things together and to keep it from being divisive”. He served as mayor through the civil rights movement, public school integration, industrial growth, and many other changes. He had a strong sense of fairness to people and strove to do what he believed was just and right.

He also served as president and board member of the Tennessee Municipal League, president of the Madison County Democratic Executive Committee, and as a delegate to the National Democratic Convention. He was a long term member of the Jackson Quarterback Club, providing laughs and entertainment.

Bob received numerous awards over the years, including: Veteran of the Year from Post 1848 VFW; Young Man of the Year from the Jackson Jaycees; Mayor of the Year from the Tennessee Municipal League; and the Lane College Trail Blazer award.

Bob loved to travel, and later in life he was a travel agent at Frankie Plunk Travel Agency. He got great pleasure from helping people plan their travels. In retirement he served as a surrogate parent for the school department for as long as his health permitted.

Bob loved his family and was never happier than when they were all gathered. When his children were younger, he often entertained the family by reciting poems he had memorized in school. He had many hobbies, including tennis, reading, computer games, listening to music, and mathematical and word puzzles. He was a member of the Joseph E. Martin Shakespeare Circle.

He is survived by his wife Virginia; daughter Ginny Conger and her husband, David Aaron, of Brookings, South Dakota; son Sid Conger and his wife, Mary, of Albany, Georgia; daughter Susan Hellinger and her husband, Rich, of Decatur, Georgia; daughter Topie Cassady and her husband, Max, of Daphne, Alabama; five grandchildren: Scott Conger and his fiance Nikki Frazier and his mother Pam Bates; Zoe Aaron; Michael Aaron; Harper Cassady; Walt Cassady; two step grandchildren: Laura Abramov and Keri Scott; and several nieces and nephews.

Bob Conger's life was one of “meaning and purpose” full of “the best work of life”.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, one of the

local colleges, or Youth Town.