John M. Conrad, of Gilbertsville, passed away suddenly on March 3rd, 2024. His departure leaves a void in the lives of all who knew him, but his memory will forever be cherished.
He is survived by his wife, Rachel P. (Guerre-Chaley) Conrad, three daughters; Brenda A. Conrad and her partner Patrick Stone, Jennifer M. (Conrad) Ortlip, and Abigail B. Conrad; four grandchildren, Gryphon Stone and wife Elizabeth, Willow Stone, Gavin Ortlip, and Olivia Ortlip; one great grandchild Preston Stone.
Born on December 8th, 1951, John was the son of Preston W. and Ardell B. Conrad. He grew up alongside his siblings, Jean Renninger, William Conrad, David Conrad, and Sara Weller. From a young age, John enjoyed family pets and had a kindness and respect for wildlife that would carry on throughout his life.
John was a junior fireman throughout high school and continued to serve the community as a fireman for 14 years with the Gilbertsville Fire Co. He attended Berks Career and Technology Center for Automotive Repair throughout high school before graduating in 1970. He then went into the family business with his father, Preston, at Conrad’s Body Shop where he tapped into his artistic side and became an expert with color matching and painting. John and his brother David continued the business together until John’s retirement in March of 2023. Today, David continues to run the family business along with his daughter, Melinda Stern.
John enjoyed spending quality time with his immediate family during family dinners, vacations, and outings, as well as spending time with his extended family traveling and camping. Most recently, he also spent a lot of time happily building his train collection, working on his antique vehicles, and binge watching new tv series with his wife, Rachel.
A viewing will be held at Catagnus Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Inc. 1020 E. Philadelphia Ave Gilbertsville, PA. Friday, March 8th, from 2:00–3:30 pm, followed by a short service. Interment will be private. A lite supper will be held afterwards to honor John’s memory and share stories of his life.
To honor John’s preference to be comfortable please feel free to wear jeans and casual clothing.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of John M. Conrad to PA State Parks. Please make checks payable to: PA Parks & Forests Foundation, 704 Lisburn Rd, Suite 102, Camp Hill, PA 17011