James D. Conaway, 91 years, of Fort Madison, Iowa died Friday, February 10, 2023 at the West Point Care Center, West Point, Iowa. He was born April 13, 1931 in Des Moines, Iowa, a son of John R. and Winifred M. (Murray) Conaway. He married Norma Jeanne Hyde, they had three children: Diane, Jim and Joy. They later divorced. Jim married Carol Jean (Powell) Burris on August 1, 1973. She preceded him in death on May 17, 2003. On April 20, 2007, he married Joyce (Keller) Burton. She survives.
Jim’s father worked for AT&T, so his family lived in many places as he grew up. He graduated from Hamburg High School, Hamburg, Iowa in 1948. He attended Drake University on a football scholarship. Jim worked for the Santa Fe Railroad, starting in 1950, and retired as Road Foreman of Engines in 1986. He was a member of Holy Family Parish, Knights of Columbus, Elks and an endowment member of the National Rifle Association. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, and was a pilot and flew float planes in Canada for fishing trips.
He is survived by his wife, Joyce Burton of Fort Madison; three children: Diane Saar (Danny Lasswell) of Fort Madison, James (Debbie) Conaway of Carolina Beach, North Carolina; Joy Calvert of High Springs, Florida; four step-children: Kenneth Burris of Cold Water, Mississippi, Connie (Russell) Boeding of Waterloo, Iowa; Cindy (Miles) Wellman of West Point, Iowa and Tony Burton of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; one sister, Virginia Scott of Missouri; eleven grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Carol, and one sister Judith Schwery.
The family will meet with friends from 5:00 – 6:30 pm Thursday, February 16, 2023 at the Barr Memorial Chapel, Fort Madison, with a Christian Vigil Service to follow at 6:30 pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 am Friday, February 17, 2023 at Holy Family Parish, Ss. Mary and Joseph Church, Fort Madison, with Father Joseph Phung as Celebrant. Following Mass his body will be cremated. Burial will be at Bucklin Masonic Cemetery, Bucklin, Missouri at a later date.
A memorial has been established for Holy Family Parish and Southeast Iowa Regional Hospice, contributions may be left at Barr Memorial Chapel. Barr Memorial Chapel is honored to serve the Conaway/Burton family and an online guest book may be found at www.barrmemorialchapel.com.