John H. Conrad, 89, longtime of John Wise Avenue, Essex, husband of Edith M. (McClintock) Conrad, died Friday February 23, 2008 in the Seacoast Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Gloucester following his brief illness.

Born in Gloucester December 12, 1918, son of the late Charles N. and Ann (Poole) Conrad, he was raised in Essex, where he attended the former Choate School. As a young man he worked for several years for the Essex Ice Company as a delivery man. Entering the Army in 1941, he served  in Company “B” Armored Infantry Battalion. He received a Purple Heart for shrapnel wounds sustained in a battle near the Rhone River in  Belgium. He was  honorably discharged in 1945 as a Staff Sergeant.  Returning to Essex, the Conrads married in March of 1946  and made their home and raised their family in the house he built on John Wise Avenue. For several years he worked at the Story Shipyard then became self employed full time as a finish carpenter for the Essex Housing Authority. He retired in 1995 after twenty-six years of service.

He was a hunting and fishing enthusiast and an amateur photographer. An excellent marksman, he was a member of the Conomo Point Pistol Club. He loved his dogs and enjoyed feeding birds and squirrels. He was a self taught guitar player. He will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved him.

In addition to his wife of sixty-one years he is survived by two sons, Brian Conrad and his wife Jayne of Derry, NH and Bruce S. Conrad and his companion Kim Amero of Essex; a daughter, Linda J. Johnson and her husband Bruce M. of Essex; three grandchildren, Matthew Conrad and Jamie Conrad both of Derry, NH and Jason Conrad of Essex; a sister Virginia Palelli of Gloucester and many nephews and nieces. He was the brother of the late Herbert Conrad formerly of Gloucester, Clayton Conrad of Idaho, Gordon Conrad of NH, Roxia Bullock of Ipswich and Mildred Hawley  of Essex.

His funeral with Military Honors will be held Thursday Feb. 28, 2009 at 11 am graveside in the Spring Street Cemetery, Essex. Family and friends are respectfully welcomed. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions in his name may be made to DAV Memorial Program, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301. Arrangements are under the direction of the Whittier-Porter Funeral Home of Ipswich.