Obituary of Edgar Glenn Conner

Edgar Glenn Conner, Jr., 97, Melbourne, FL passed away Saturday, September 29, 2018 in the comfort of his home and in the arms of his loving daughter and caregiver Claudia Conner. He was born March 12, 1921 in Glen Campbell, PA to Edgar Glenn Conner, Sr. and Marguerite Elizabeth Simms. He served 20 years in the US Army, including combat duty as a Lieutenant with the 2nd Battalion, 351st Infantry, 88th Division on October 15, 1940 Italy in World War II. He graduated from Redford High School in Detroit in 1937 and was the Captain of the school’s ROTC cadets. Following graduation, he enlisted as a private in the Service Co., 125th Infantry, 32nd Infantry (Red Arrow) on February 2, 1938, by his civics teacher and company C.O. at the age of 16. When called to active duty with his unit at Camp Beauregard, LA he was a very young first sergeant. He served in the army for 20 years, retiring as a major, artillery on August 31, 1960. He started his army service on October 15, 1940 as first sergeant-master with the 125th infantry (Louisiana and California). On July 1, 1942 he completed Infantry OCS, Ft. Benning GA and was assigned as a Lieutenant to the headquarters company, 2nd battalion, 351st infantry, 88th division (Blue Devils), Camp Gruber, OK. He fought in North Africa and Italy, including Cassino and Santa Maria Infante. He was with the vanguard of the first US troops to enter and liberate Rome on June 5, 1944. From August 1, 1944 to October 1, 1945 he was with the 22nd Replacement Battalion, Italy. From December 1, 1945 to May 1, 1946 he was assigned to the Infantry Replacement Center at Camp Joseph T. Robinson, AR. From July 1, 1946 to July 1, 1949 he was the military government officer, Augsburg area, Germany. From August 1, 1949 to May 1, 1952 he was detailed to AAA and assigned to the 79th AAA Gun Battalion (120 mm), Fort Bliss, TX, Fort Custer MI. He was with the AAA Defenses of Chicago from June 1, 1952 until June 1, 1953. He was the adjutant, 18th Field Artillery Group, Augsburg, Germany June 1, 1953 until May 15, 1955. He was C.O. Battery D, 25th AAA Battalion (90 mm), Karlshrue/Kaiserlautern, Germany from July 1, 1955 to December 15, 1957. He was XO and CO of of the 602nd Missile Battalion (Nike), Army Chemical Center, Aberdeen, MD from March 15, 1958 to March 15, 1959. From May 1, 1959 until August 31, 1960 he was Division and Brigade advisor to the Imperial Iranian Army, staff and faculty AAA and GM Center, Fort Bliss, TX. After retirement from the army he worked for 16 years as a civilian employee for the Department of Defense in and around the Pentagon as a specialist in planning, Programming, and Budget Systems, which was the subject area for his master’s thesis at the George Washington University in 1965. During this period he worked for the Department of the Navy (one year), Defense Intelligence Agency (eight years), and Defense Communications Agency (six years). He assisted in developing and implementing the Resource Management Systems for the World-Wide Defense Intelligence Program and Defense Communications Program. He retired from civil service on March 31, 1976 to be with his wife, childhood sweetheart, and mother of their eight children, Marion Conner, when she was diagnosed with terminal ovarian cancer. Marion died on October 25, 1976. She is buried in Arlington National Cemetery In 1979 he met and married Eleanor Soares and subsequently moved to the big island of Hawaii in 1981. Eleanor died in 2007. He leaves four surviving children, Claudia Marion Conner (Artie) of Melbourne, FL, Carl Michael Conner (Margie) of Rehoboth Beach, DE, Kevin Sean Conner of Woodbridge, VA, and Carol Stasney of Laguna Niguel, CA; He leaves many grandchildren, great grandchildren and his beloved fur baby Buddy. He was preceded in death by his parents, Edgar G. and Marguerite Conner; children, Edgar Glenn Conner III, Kathleen Diane Conner, Terrence Glenn Conner, and Marie Louise Conner; his sweet fur baby Abby. Edgar will be laid to rest with his wife Marion at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.