Willard "Chip" David Conklin, Jr.

Visitation will be held at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 1050 Azalea Road, Mobile, Alabama, on Thursday, September 24th, from 9:30 am -11:00 am.

The Funeral service to follow at 11:00 am, with Rev. Jamie McElroy officiating. Chip’s interment will be in the Western Kentucky Veterans Cemetery, in Hopkinsville, Kentucky on Monday, September 28th, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.

Willard David “Chip” Conklin, Jr. was born on November 16, 1961, in the Panama Canal Zone. He graduated from Yorktown High School in Arlington, VA, received his Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering from United States Military Academy, in West Point, New York, and was pursuing a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Southern Alabama.

Chip became a Certified Professional Engineer in 1991and was licensed in the States of Alabama, Florida, Virginia, and the United States Virgin Islands (USVI). Chip began his service in the U.S. Army with the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and later served in the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District. After fulfilling his commitment to the U.S. Army, he relocated to Mobile, Alabama, with International Paper Company, in the Corporate Engineering Group. Chip then worked with Champion International as the Project Engineer for the 60 million dollar Greenfield Sawmill Project in Pensacola, Florida. In 2000, Chip became the Principal Engineer for Constructions Solutions International and in 2017 he formed his own engineering company, Engineering Solutions International, where he was President and Principal Engineer until the time of his death.

On June 23, l990, Chip married Carol Ann Klingensmith in Hopkinsville, Kentucky and they, subsequently, had a daughter, Katherine Alexander, “Kacy” in March of 1998. Chip was a member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and part of the Vestry. He was very instrumental in the growth of St. Luke’s Episcopal School from K-8 to K-12. He was a member of Mobile’s Battleship Rugby Football Club and played with the team on many international tours including Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Christchurch New Zealand and was also part of Battleship’s 1992 National Championship team.

Chip was an ardent supporter of the New Orleans Saints football team holding season tickets for many years. His greatest joy as a Saints fan was seeing them win the Super Bowl. Chip was also a member of many civic and social organizations, including, the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick.

Mr. Conklin was preceded in death by his parents, Emily Rader Conklin on December 20, 1979, Willard David Conklin on August 1, 1992, stepmother, Pauline “Polly” White James Conklin on December 21, 2001, and Ellen Caroline Stites, niece, on May 27, 2016.

Surviving to honor his memory are his wife, Carol, daughter, Katherine Alexander “Kacy,” of the family home, sister, Kristin Lynn Conklin Allen (Randy) of Hattiesburg, MS, nephews Justin Thomas Allen of Baton Rouge, LA, William David Allen of Jackson, MS, and John Paul Allen of Hattiesburg, MS, Haydon (Alex) Alexander Stites of Lafayette, KY, his Aunt, Bobbie Gonzalez of Zellewood, FL, and several cousins.

Memorials may be made in Chip’s name to St. Lukes Episcopal Church 36693. The family thanks you for your prayers and may be contacted at the family home in Mobile, Alabama.