Jackie (Jack) Ray Conner, 83, of Covington, Georgia, passed away on February 29, 2020.
Jack was born May 7, 1936, in Widen, West Virginia to Ray V. and Dortha M. (White) Conner. Jack graduated from Clay High School in Clay, West Virginia in 1953, where he was the captain of the varsity basketball team.
After graduating from high school, Jack joined the United States Air Force and served tours of duty in Germany, Ohio, Japan and Vietnam. He earned the Bronze Star for his service during the Vietnam War and retired as a Master Sergeant in 1977. He enjoyed a second career as a school bus driver for Clay County Schools and retired a second time in 1999.
Jack married Margot (Marge) Wuster on June 7, 1957 in Bremerhaven, Germany. They were married for 43 years until her death in 2001 in Covington, Georgia, where they moved after their retirement from Clay County Schools. In 2003, he married Ann (Jones) Conner in Covington, Georgia. He was a member of East Newton Baptist Church. Wherever he traveled in the world, he never met a stranger.
Jack will be deeply missed by his wife, Ann, of 17 years; his daughters, Marjorie Leathers (Lynn Leathers) of Conyers, GA, Karen Fugate (Michael Fugate) of Valrico, FL, and Carolyn Seepersad (Clyde Seepersad) of Austin, TX; his six grandchildren, Amanda Gill (Jason Gill), Molly DeCarvalho (John DeCarvalho), Abby Durrance (Scott Durrance), Dylan Fugate (Ashley Fugate), Paige Seepersad, and Carter Seepersad; 10 great-grandchildren; and step-children, Jane Edens, Jenny Irby (Jim Irby), and Jonathon Jones. He is preceded in death by his parents, Ray and Dortha Conner, and his sisters, Gertrude Bess, Betty Hunt and Nancy Jones.
A Celebration of Jack’s Life was held in the Chapel of Wheeler Funeral Home in Covington, Georgia, on March 7, 2020 at 2 p.m. The family would like to express their gratitude to Dr. Sherine Thomas and his staff at Georgia Cancer Specialists/Rockdale, the staff of the infusion center at Piedmont Rockdale Hospital for their care and compassion and the staff of Abbey Hospice/Social Circle. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you send donation to the American Leukemia/Lymphoma Society (https://www.lls.org), St Jude Children’s Hospital (https://www.stjude.org), Abbey Hospice, 215 Azalea Court, Social Circle, GA 30025, or that you donate blood to the American Red Cross or your local blood bank.
Guests may sign the online register at www.wheelerfuneralhome.com.