Harold W. Conner

Harold Walter Conner of Lumberton, NJ passed away on Wednesday, January 4, 2023, surrounded by his family. He was 86. Harold was above all a family man, and a strong, steady, and loving presence in the lives of each and every one of his family members. His greatest joy was being wherever his wife was, family dinners, seeing the grandkids and great-grandkids, and meeting his brother for breakfast on Saturday mornings. He would often say “I got a good one” when talking about his wife Grace. During his hospital stays in recent years he would tell any medical staff that attended him how blessed he was to have the family he had. He was a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church of Vincentown and always had a joyful outlook and a confidence in “the Good Lord.” Harold started milking cows at the age of 8, rounding them up on horseback before and after school each day. He remained in dairy until his later 20’s when he became a mechanic by trade and worked at Boeing, then on John Deere heavy equipment where he became the service manager and was recognized for his strong abilities in both leadership and troubleshooting. He later worked on John Deere lawn and ag equipment, and then for several years worked on forklifts as a road mechanic. His work ethic was astounding, having only missed 3 days in his entire working career due to one bout of strep throat. Upon retiring, he joined the team on his son-in-law’s (Joseph Darlington) cranberry farm, mostly driving truck and mowing. He really enjoyed being involved in farming and working with family, including his daughter (Brenda) and grandson (Juddy). His co-workers all knew him as a pleasant, hard-working and honest man; but the two things they talked about most were how early he would show up for work (about 4:30 am to begin the workday at 7:00 am) and how much coffee he drank! When he wasn’t working he loved sports, and was proud of having played baseball, football, and basketball in his youth. He also bowled well into his more senior years. He always loved children and coached Little League. Harold really enjoyed hunting season with his brothers and buddies and loved to tell stories about the antics they did with each other. He enjoyed shooting skeet and doing deer patrol with his grandson, and attending the softball games and barrel races of his granddaughter. He would even cut vacations short so he wouldn’t miss a chance to see the kids compete. A lifelong fan of Phillies baseball and Eagles football, he looked forward to watching every game he could and liked discussing the possibilities in the post-seasons. Harold is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Grace (Cutts) Conner; his daughter, Brenda Conner (Joseph Darlington); two grandchildren – Judson Parker, Jr. and Emily Conner Hogan (Kyle); and four great-grandchildren – Alexis Parker, Judson Parker, III, Paisley Hogan, and Everleigh Hogan. He is also survived by his brothers Arthur Conner, Kenneth Conner (Judy), Lester “George” Conner (Barbara), sister Ruth Pickard, and sister-in-law Jane Conner in addition to many nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents, William and Viola Conner, brother William Conner, and sister Shirley Coppola. He will be missed by his many friends and fans, who all knew him simply as “Pop.” Funeral services for Harold will be held on Tuesday, January 10 at the First Baptist Church of Vincentown 39 Main St, Vincentown, NJ 08088 at 11am. Friends and relatives are invited to visit with Harold’s family from 10am-11am prior to the start of the service. Interment will follow the services at Vincentown Baptist Cemetery.

Harold W. Conner

November 8, 1936 - January 4, 2023