John Francis Conway

United States Air Force Military Airlift Command

63rd Troop Carrier Wing, Heavy

Flight Engineer of Douglas C-124 Globemaster II

John Francis Conway, Sr., age 82 yrs., our beloved father, grandfather, and great grandfather passed away at Saint Helena Hospital on Monday July 11, 2011 with his beloved wife, Maria, of 38 years at his bedside. Prior to his passing, all his children, and several grandchildren were at his side expressing their love.

John, the eldest of two brothers and one sister, was born in Johnstown, Pennsylvania on December 15, 1928 to the late Lloyd and Mary Conway. Surviving the Great Depression and graduating from high school with honors, he dreamed of traveling the world and flying aircraft. He pursued his dream by enlisting at the young age of 18 in the United States Air Force in 1946 and served his country proudly until he retired in 1968. Master Sergeant Conway proudly served as a flight engineer flying the globe in the Douglas C-124 Globemaster for the United States Air Force Military Airlift Command, 63rd Troop Carrier Wing. At the end of his career, he had accumulated enough flight hours and distance to have circled the globe three times. His military missions and duty allowed him to serve in distance places such as Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Vietnam, Fiji Islands, Guam, Arctic Circle, Europe, Chile, and the Antarctic. As a result of flying across the Arctic, he was designated as a Knight of the Blue Nose, a select few of Airmen that had accomplished this mission. One of his missions included ‘Operation Deep Freeze’ which was a 3 month tour of the Antarctic which he talked about often. Often upon his return from his travels, he would bring home souvenirs to his family and share his stories of these distant places. While on leave, he would take his family throughout the United States and Mexico for vacations; John loved to travel.

Upon his retirement, he established businesses in Southern California and later in Dunlo, Pa. operating a popular bar & restaurant. Upon his second retirement, he traveled all over the US until he became wheel chair bound and unable to travel. He became an avid member of the Moose Lodge for 60 years and made many friends.

John is survived by his wife, Maria, his son and wife, John F. Conway Jr. and Janice Conway; daughter, Susan King; daughter and husband, Dianne and Joe Long; daughter, Nancy Lindskog, brother and wife, Joel & Pat Conway; 6 grandchildren, Michael McCalmon, Shawn Conway, Amy Reeves, Christopher Conway, Timothy Fritsch, Caleb Fritsch; 5 great grandchildren, Dalton McCalmon-Smith, Kody Reeves, Ashlee Reeves, Collin Conway, and Ryan Conway.

Funeral services for Master Sergeant John F. Conway, Sr. will be held at the Sacramento Valley National Cemetery with full military honors on Friday, August 5th, 2011, 1:30 pm.

John spent many fun times with his fellow Moose Lodge delegates and has requested that all funds be donated to the Moose Charities, 155 South International Drive, Moosehaven, Illinois, 60539.

Our family would like to thank all ICU and Cardiac care staff at the St. Helena Hospital for the love and support they provided to all of us and to our dear father, grandfather, and great grandfather during the last hours of his life. God blessed us with a caring and loving man, we love him dearly!

Arrangements under the direction of Jones & Lewis Funeral Home, Lower Lake, CA.