Donald Samuel Conkey

Donald Samuel Conkey changed his mortal address to an unknown immortal address on Feb 2, 2022 (He passed from complications of heart surgery)

Donald S. Conkey was born on December 26, 1927, to Hall Conkey and Christine Walker in lake

Township, Huron County Michigan, the oldest of four siblings, Jean (Pete) Tandy; Doctor Archie

(Merene) Conkey and Carol Hoerneman (Calvin).

Following a three-year military assignment in Japan (Korean War), Donald married Shirley Jacobs in 1954

in Daytona beach, Florida. Three children were born to this union, Curtis (Catheryn) Conkey of Colorado

Springs, Colorado, Donald Conkey Jr (deceased) and Linda (Mark) Shaw of Taylors, SC. In 1969 Donald

married Joan Kundrick Pierce in the Mesa Arizona Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

Saints. Donald then became father to Joan’s six children, Pam (Phillip) Karski of Woodstock, Georgia, and

Laura (Allen) Ross of Slidell, Louisiana, Cynthia (Bobby) Porter of Birmingham, Alabama; Denise Barnett

of Gainesville, Georgia; Carrie (Frank) Jones of Taylorsville, Georgia; and Richard (Arta) Pierce of

Covington, Ohio. In addition, Donald and Joan added two foster children to their family, Christopher

Livingston of San Francisco, California and Sam Bracken of Kaysville, Utah. Donald was grandfather of 30,

great grandfather to 58 and great-great grandfather to 3.

Following medical retirement after 29 years with US Steel, Donald recovered his health and became

involved in politics first running a statewide campaign for a Georgia House position and then leading a

statewide effort to defeat the 1992 Lottery Referendum in Georgia. The lottery efforts were in vain –

losing by a narrow margin. Don became a student of the US Constitution keeping a box of mini

constitutions to hand out and insisting that GOP Candidates for office be well versed in its principles.

Don was a lifelong Boy Scouts of America supporter serving in almost all positions and earning the Silver

Beaver award.

Mr. Conkey served many years in regional leadership roles in his church, traveling throughout the

southeast helping to expand the church and provide public outreach for the church. He served on the

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Atlanta Temple construction committee; dedicated in 1983.

Donald and wife Joan served an eighteen-month Church Service Mission in Eastern Canada

headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada where they were charged with building bridges of

understanding with the many religious communities in Eastern Canada. He supported Joan as she

served as vice chair of a Canadian Program titled “Festival of the Family” with over 15,000 Canadians

attending the programs’ final performance held in the Royal Ontario Museum in downtown Toronto in

1994.

After returning from their Church Mission in 1995, the family moved from Decatur, Ga to Woodstock, Ga

becoming involved in the Eagle Watch HOA, with Donald serving as editor for the monthly newsletter for

several years. He became involved in numerous community groups: Cherokee County Elections voter

registration, Christian Authors Guild, Cherokee County Library Board, Junior Achievement with a special

love for small business and began writing an opinion column for the Cherokee Tribune in October 1998,

having published over 1100 columns before passing away.

Donald served as a temple worker along with Joan, in the Atlanta Temple in Sandy Springs, Ga for over

30 years. Donald authored and published numerous books, many on his Family Genealogy after

gathering over 75,000 genealogical family names.

Funeral Services will be conducted by Poole Funeral Home in Woodstock, Ga and will be held at the The

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Woodstock Chapel located at 2205 Bascomb Carmel, Rd

Woodstock, Ga 30189 on Tuesday, February 8th, 2022. Viewing will be from 2PM to 3:30PM with service

at 4:00PM. Interment will be at Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Ga at a later date. Pallbearers will

be Donald’s Grandchildren.