Obituary of Doris Conn

Doris Lorayn Conn, beloved wife and mother, accomplished teacher, a lifelong student and a woman of amazing intellect and sense of humor passed away on November 28th, 2012 after a long illness. Doris was born on July 18th, 1928 in Broken Bow, Oklahoma and she graduated from Flagstaff High School in Flagstaff, Arizona. She then graduated from Northern Arizona University with a double major in History and Education and a minor in Spanish. In June of 1954, she met her future husband Norman Conn while searching for a job in San Diego, California. Norman was her soon-to-be roommate's cousin. They fell in love sitting on a park bench at the San Diego Zoo. By Christmas, the couple had married. Norman and Doris made their home in several varied environs in those early years. They lived in a one room house in Norwood, Colorado, where son Michael was born. They lived in Tuscon, Arizona where Norman went to Pharmacy School and Doris taught school. Daughters Beverly and Barbara were born there. The moved to Redlands, California after Norman graduated from Pharmacy School and there, son Steven was born. They moved to Visalia, California in 1967. Doris worked as a First Grade teacher for 35 years, the majority of which was spent at Washington School in Visalia. She touched the lives of thousands of children. Her special gift was the ability to teach reading. She did this with a quiet joy. She had the ability to sense need and a drive to meet that need within her family and in the community. She was a lifelong giver of self. Doris is survived by Norman her husband of 58 years; children Michael Conn (Donna) of Kingsburg; Beverly Ward (Christopher) of Athol, Idaho; Steven Conn (Alissa) of San Diego; five grandchildren; one great-grandson; brother Donald Skaggs (Janice) of Flagstaff, Arizona. A Memorial Service will be celebrated at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 625 E Haycraft Ave, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, December 17th. Please visit her online memorial at www.belltowerfuneralhome.com to post a memorial message. Doris's family requests that memorial gifts be given in her name to Holy Family Catholic School , Father George Rassley Endowment Fund, 3005 W Kathleen Ave, Coeur d'Alene Idaho 83815. In addition, the family wishes to thank the staff at Hospice of North Idaho, especially the staff at the Hospice House for their love and care of Doris in her last days.