Lola   Conner

Conner, Lola Phyllis CONNER:  Lola Phyllis Conner, age 82, was born on February 5, 1930 and graciously passed on to eternal life February 20, 2012.  Lola’s life was shaped while being raised during the Depression with her four sisters, a loving mother, Effie and her hard working father, Wesley Crips.  Lola grew up in Wyoming with her sisters, Norma, Ruth, Beulah and Betty where she attended Lee High School.  There she met her high school sweetheart, Merlin Conner, the first and the only love of her life.  Mert and Lola had their first date on her 15th birthday and have been together ever since.  Lola and Mert married in 1948, their family grew from 1951 to 1956 to include three children in four years.  The early years of raising her children would be some of the best years of her life.  She was a leader in the PTA, Campfire Girls and Bluebirds.  Lola’s legacy in life was her family; she loved them with all her heart and taught us all the lessons of kindness, compassion, affection and concern for one another.  Special memories will be forever held of Sunday dinners, magical holidays and family gatherings in her home.  Everyone felt at home at Grandma Lola’s house.  She especially loved spending time with her ten grandchildren.  The family will forever be comforted with countless happy memories of Mom that they will treasure all the days of their lives.  Lola’s children were so very blessed to have had the privilege to have been raised and loved by such a strong, amazing woman.  Lola was a very loyal soul to those she loved and those she worked for.  Lola believed you can achieve anything if you put your mind to it.  She had strong opinions and made decisions with her heart first and then stood by her views with conviction.  Lola retired from Rogers Dept. Store in 1999.  Throughout her career at Rogers, she worked in sales, training, customer service, audit, buyer and manager of ladies dresses and coat department to Senior Vice President.  Lola was a key employee chosen by Mr. Berk to serve on his management team during her 42 years of service.  Lola served on the board of the Kent Skill Center and Davenport College.  She wanted those she knew and worked with to know they made a difference to her and they helped shape her life and career.  Lola will be lovingly missed by her husband of 63 years, Merlin “Mert” Conner, their three children, Kristi (Mark) Heintskill, Robert (Mary) Conner, Mary Lynn (Tharlo) Klaver; grandchildren, Robert Shawn (Kim) Conner, Kathryn (Searle) Frei, Jonathan (Rebecca) Conner, Joseph (Jen) Heintskill, Jaclynn (Ryan) Gorter, Brandon (Anne) Conner, Tiffany (Jon) Skilling, Andrea (Matt) Lee, Stacie (Ben) Beaudo and Stephanie Heintskill (fiancé Chad Holtrop); great grandchildren, Nolan, Rylynn, Garrison, Macy, Lola, Cameron, Elise, Landon and Isabella; sisters, Norma (Warren) Stadt, Ruth (Robert) Gillette, Beulah Paauwe and Betty Miller; sisters-in-law, Roena Coutchie and Judy Conner.  The family would like to extend a special thanks to all the nurses and doctors at both Metro Health Hospital and the Meijer Heart Center along with Spectrum Health Hospice for the care they provided.  Mom, please know that you made a difference in all of our lives.  Your long journey is now over, may you rest in peace.  “Mom, we love you and will miss you all the days of our lives.”  Funeral services will be held Thursday 11 am at Georgetown United Methodist Church, 2766 Baldwin St., Jenison with Rev. William Bills officiating.  Interment Rest Lawn Memorial Park.  Relatives and friends may meet the family Wednesday from 2-4 and 6-8 pm at Matthysse-Kuiper-DeGraaf funeral Home, (Grandville) 4145 Chicago Dr.  In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make memorial contributions to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation or American Cancer Society.