Nan Mae (Cassidy) Conaway was born on the family farmstead at Monument, Ks., March 11, 1915, to Walter Brown and Nora Belle (Martin) Cassidy. She was the fourth of five daughters and one son. She earned her wings on April 14th, 2018, at Redbud Village, Plainville, Ks. She had been an Oakley resident for most of her life.
She attended Monument schools and graduated with the Class of 1932. She was a center for the girl’s basketball team and sang in the glee club and choir also performing solos at music contests and singing for funerals. At the time of her death she was the oldest living Monument alumnus.
While growing up with four sisters in a four-room house, a bedroom was shared by the five with three in one bed and two in another. It gave the sisters a closeness that was shared their entire lives.
She then attended Salina Beauty Academy to become a beautician. She returned to Oakley where she was part owner of a beauty salon and later the sole owner. Her beautician career lasted over 40 years; she retired in 1978.
While attending a Rebecca Lodge meeting she met Harold Conaway. They were married on Groundhogs Day, Feb.2, 1941, in Scott City, Ks. They settled into a happy life and were blessed with a daughter, Lynnis Lee, March 12, 1942. Their lives were changed when WWII started and Harold was drafted into the Army. She and Lynnis followed him to his different posts living in Virginia and California before he was deployed to the Philippine Islands. Nan ran a beauty shop while he was gone and he sent some of his salary home so they could save money for a house. After his return they put a down payment on their first home and again settled into married life in the home they affectionately called the Little House. They were thrilled to learn they were to have another baby. Kayla Sue was born Nov. 22, 1946. In 1954 they built a new house on the front lots of the little house property. Later on the Little House would become the Nan Conaway Beauty Shop.
Throughout Nan’s life she enjoyed sewing by making dresses for her girls, quilts, teddy bears, embroidery, braiding rugs and many miscellaneous projects most people wouldn’t have tackled. A pattern usually wasn’t used or if one was needed, she made it herself. She was musically inclined, and after having only three lessons could play the piano and later added the harpsichord and continued singing for various occasions. She wrote music and composed songs which included some of her own poetry. She wrote and had a book of her poems published, entitled, “Because I Love Poetry”. Cooking was a favorite of hers and she was the happiest in the kitchen or in her garden where not only vegetables were grown, but beautiful roses and all kinds of flowers. At any time you could find her with a Scrabble board, crossword or jigsaw puzzle nearby. Her love for all animals was extended to her life in the nursing home when she received an interactive cat from her family this past Christmas.
Nan was an active member of the United Methodist Church of Oakley. She taught Sunday School and Vacation Bible School, sang in the choir and was nursery department superintendent for 12 years only retiring when her mother became ill.
Although Nan thought her life couldn’t get any happier, her daughters married and she was truly blessed with three grandchildren, Jeff Wilderson, Cyndi Circle and Steve Reed. As grandparents they enjoyed spending every minute they could with their grandkids. She always made holidays memorable whether it be by food, gifts or just making many memories. Great-grandchildren added to their joy when Kayla, Kimberlynn, Kyle, Braeden, Olivia and Jackson were born. She lived to see the fifth generation with her great-great grandchildren, Yousef, Tala, Talia, Salem, Dayton and Tallon.
Surviving her in death are daughters, Lynn Wilderson, Borrego Springs, Ca., Kay Reed and her husband Robert , Stockton, Ks.; grandchildren, Jeff and Kris Wilderson, Gatesville, Tx., Cyndi and Stan Circle, Silver Lake, Ks., Steve and Kathy Reed, Hays Ks.; great-grandchildren, Kayla and Talal Al-Salem, Kuwait City, Kuwait, Kimberlynn Uhl and husband Jake, Silver Lake, Ks., Kyle Wilderson, Cincinnati, Oh, Braeden Lockhart, Silver Lake, Ks., Olivia and Jackson Reed, both of Hays, Ks.; great-great grandchildren, Yousef, Tala, Talia, Salem Al-Salem, Dayton and Tallon Uhl and her beloved nieces and nephews.
Preceding her in death is her husband, Harold who died in 2002 after 61 years of marriage; her parents; sisters, Myrtle, Gertrude, Ethel and Helen and infant brother, Durward Walter.
Graveside funeral service will be 1:30 p.m., Thursday, April 19, 2018 at Oakley City Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Oakley United Methodist Church. Donations to the church may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 336 North 12th, WaKeeney, KS 67672.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.schmittfuneral.com.