Neva Zoe Conrad

Born on August 14, 1930, in Sioux Falls, Neva Zoe Hokenstad grew up in the small town of Canton, South Dakota with her mother Neva, her father George and her big brother George Robert.

As World War II began, her father passed away suddenly, and her brother went off to war. Neva Zoe then lived in a “house full of strong women” as she would say – with her mother, grandmother and aunt Amelia. By age 14, Neva was working at the Ludoc café in town to help make ends meet.

Active and social as always, Neva enjoyed her years at Canton High School, serving on student council, playing basketball, and being crowned Homecoming Queen her senior year. Her strong friendships were only just beginning and would remain the foundations of her life. After graduation, Neva’s mother was determined to send her to college. Neva worked on campus and summer jobs to help make it possible, and proudly graduated from the University of South Dakota with a teaching degree in 1952.

She began her teaching career in Mitchell South Dakota before deciding to leave the harsh winters and mid-western small towns behind and head to California. She boldly jumped into a car with three women friends to make their way westward, ultimately leaving Neva in Orange County to stay with her friend Charlotte until she could find a job and get settled.

She was quickly hired as a kindergarten teacher in Anaheim and got to know fellow teachers including Norma Clark who taught in the room next door. That spring, Norma decided Neva should meet her handsome nephew, Don Conrad. Despite a “chaperoned” first date where they were accompanied by Don’s brother and sister-in-law, which didn’t go over so well with Neva(!) the two hit it off right away and spent the next two months enjoying trips to the beach, long drives along the coast, and spending time with friends. They were engaged in July and married August 7, 1954. They bought their first home and settled into their life together in Orange County. A few years later they welcomed their first son, Mark into the world. But the joy turned to sorry as Mark had a heart condition and didn’t live beyond his first birthday.

Soon, Don’s job with Pacific Bell moved them to San Diego. They bought their home in Lemon Grove where their hearts were full again as they welcomed their son Bruce into the world, and several years later when daughter Michele joined the family. While the children were young, Neva took time away from teaching to be a full-time mother. She returned to the classroom in 1979 teaching 4th grade at Golden Avenue Elementary where she would devote the next 23 years pouring her heart and mind into educating her “wise and wonderful” students. In 1994 she was recognized as the Lemon Grove School District Teacher of the Year, and she retired from full time teaching in 2002. Of course, she couldn’t stay away from classrooms and remained a support teacher at her school, then took a post-retirement role as Teacher Supervisor for the Point Loma Nazarene University for many years.

In addition to being devoted to her family and her students, Neva spent her life building and nurturing meaningful relationships with her extended family and friends. She deeply loved and respected her brother Bob and his wife Phyllis and adored her two beautiful nieces Teri and Sandi. She built friendships that were more like family – her “sis” Barbara Gregory whom she met through PTA volunteer work and many other teacher friends whom she has remained close with over all these years. She enjoyed 40+ years of “the bridge girls”, gathering around card tables in their living rooms every month for a little friendly competition and a whole lot of fun. She was an active member of Lemon Grove Lutheran Church for over 50 years, leading the Altar Guild with Estelle for many of those. She was a member of the PEO sisterhood for 70+ years, with a renewed involvement in her retirement.

She and Don loved to travel—highlights including several visits to Europe, Norwegian and Alaskan cruises, and many road trips around the United States. She loved the theatre and was a long-time season-ticket holder at the Lambs Players Theater as well as a frequenter of The Old Globe. She was a craft-fair connoisseur with an enormous soft spot for all things hand-painted. She was a consummate hostess who loved to entertain and break out the good china. In her view, every occasion was a moment to celebrate.

After Don passed away in 2017, Neva continued living in their Roy Street home until January 2020 when she moved into a lovely apartment at Monte Vista Village in Lemon Grove. She celebrated her 90th birthday “Covid-style” with a drive by birthday parade of August of 2021 boasting a line of cars that stretched lovingly around the entire Roy Street cul-de-sac. Then when her care needs increased, she moved to The Montera Assisted Living in La Mesa. Even as her mobility declined over the last few years, Neva remained as active as she could – still enjoying nothing more than time with friends and a good meal out.

Our dear Neva – wonderful mother and devoted friend – went to sleep peacefully on January 11, 2023 and will be dearly missed by her son Bruce Conrad and daughter-in-law Alisa, her daughter Michele, son-in-law Jeff, granddaughter Chloe and grandson Cooper. As well as her many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her husband Don, her brother George Robert (Bob), and her parents Neva Bacon and George Henry Hokenstad.