Lotus L. "Cooney" Conrad

The funeral Mass for Lotus Lamar Conrad will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, October 31, 2011 at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Rochester, with Father Paul Nelson officiating.  Burial will be in the Chapel of Peace in Grandview Memorial Gardens in Rochester with Military Honors.  Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 30, 2011 and one half hour prior to services both at the church.

Mr. Conrad, 75, of Rochester, MN died at home Friday (October 28, 2011) with his loving family at his side, after a graceful six-year battle with lung cancer.

Lotus was born May 21, 1936 in Nappanee, Indiana to Russell and Inez Conrad.  He lived there until moving to a farm near Hepton, Indiana in 1937 where he attended first and second grade in a one-room country schoolhouse.  In 1944 he moved with his family back to Nappanee until 1947 when his family moved to Hayfield, MN where his parents bought and operated the Mars Theater.  Lotus graduated from Hayfield High School, class of 1954.

In January of 1955, Lotus joined the Air Force and served in California, Colorado and Germany.  Following his honorable discharge he went to work at Owatonna Tool Company and later joined IBM in 1960 where he worked for 32 years.

June 10, 1967 he married Jacqueline M. Hietpas at St. John's Catholic Church in Little Chute, WI.  They made their home in Kasson, MN for two years before moving to Rochester at their current residence.  Lotus and Jackie raised two children; Lotus was an incredible father and later doted on two very special grandsons.  Upon retiring from IBM, he loved to travel in his motor home with his wife, children and grandsons.

Lotus liked playing the accordion and organ, reading, playing cards, viewing the night sky with his telescope, walking in the woods, hunting and fishing, camping, listening to pipe organ music, but above all, Lotus enjoyed spending time with his family.  Lotus had a wonderful sense of humor and had a joke ready for every occasion.

Survivors include his wife Jacqueline, son Paul Conrad, daughter Carla (Eric) Anderson and cherished grandsons Logan and Connor Anderson, all of Rochester; brothers Devon (Irene) Conrad of Whitewater, WI and Lyle Conrad of Rochester; sister-in-law Janet (Don) Schlude of Winter Haven, FL; Godchildren Lisa Ales of Greenville, WI and Susan Pitzer of Rochester; several aunts & uncles and many nieces and nephews.  He is proceeded in death by parents Russell and Inez Conrad, in-laws Paul and Ethel Hietpas.

The family wishes to extend a heartfelt thanks to Mayo Hospice for their extraordinary loving care.

Macken Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Online condolences are welcome at MackenFuneralHome.com