In Memory of Patricia "Pat" A. Lingren-Conard

Patricia A. Conard, age 84, of Ida Grove, Iowa passed away on Thursday, December 30, 2021, at the Horn Memorial Hospital of Ida Grove, Iowa.

A Funeral Service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, January 8, 2022, at the United Methodist Church of Ida Grove, Iowa. Pastor LuAnn Benge will officiate. Committal Services will follow in the Ida Grove Cemetery of Ida Grove, Iowa. A Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., on Friday, January 7, 2022, at the Christensen-Van Houten Funeral Home of Ida Grove, Iowa. Per the families wishes masks are encouraged for those in attendance.  

The Christensen-Van Houten Funeral Home of Ida Grove, Iowa is in charge of the funeral arrangements.  Condolences may be sent online at www.christensenvanhouten.com

Patricia Ann “Patty” Brown was born March 20, 1937, at home in Ida Grove, Iowa. She was the daughter of Robert P. and Evelyn (Jones) Brown. Assisting in her and her twin’s birth was Etta Kelly Hughes. Her twin was deceased at birth. Mrs. Hughes became her nanny after the tragic death of Patty’s father when she was a little over a year old.

She received her education in the Ida Grove school system. She went on to further her education at Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City, Iowa and Western Iowa Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

On December 19, 1953, Patty married James Bernard Summers in Ida Grove. To this union, 3 children were born: Susan Sheryl, James Michael and Julie Jo. The marriage later ended in divorce. She married Merlyn Eugene Lingren in Omaha, Nebraska, on May 27, 1967. Merlyn had one child, Steve Eugene, from a previous marriage and together, they had one child, Kelli Anne. Merlyn passed away on November 9, 1998. On July 6, 2001, Patty married William Edwin Conard. William passed away on June 24, 2005.

In her early years, she worked at the Orchid Club and helped her mother operate the McIntosh Sale Barn café. Patty was employed by the State of Iowa for several years. She later worked as the circulation manager, composition and make-up for the Ida County Courier-Reminder. In 1981, she became a licensed Iowa real estate broker for many years. She joined JCPenney in 1991 as a window treatment specialist, retiring in 2001.

Patty loved the many volunteer jobs she had “paying it forward”. She was a life long avid reader and was happy surrounded by books. The Ida Grove Public Library was the recipient of many donated books over the years. Patty enjoyed traveling to the many military duty stations of her daughter, Susan. She loved playing in her card clubs, working crossword puzzles and being with friends. Patty was involved with Horn Memorial Hospital Marathons and volunteering at the hospital gift gallery. The joy of her life was her family. “What life is all about and what can never be taken away; the moments shared with family and the people you love”.

Patricia was an active member of the United Methodist Church and UMW, serving in various offices. She was a member of the National and Iowa Association of Realtors, serving a term as secretary of United Counties Board of Realtors. She was a lifetime member of the American Legion Auxiliary #61, Ida County Historical Society, Morningside Nursing Home Auxiliary, and Horn Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, volunteering many hours in each.

She served on the former Ida County Board of Social Welfare, Council Against Domestic Abuse (CADA), and Ida County Election Board. She served 10 years on the Ida Grove Board of Adjustment and the first Citizen’s Advisory Council (CAC) to merge the Ida Grove and Battle Creek Schools. She was a charter member of Ida Grove’s Red Hat Society.

Left to cherish her memory include her five children: LTG (Ret.) Susan Lawrence of Bradenton, FL, James M. (Jan Gorden) Summers of Battle Creek, IA, Steve (Kathy) Lingren of Schleswig, IA, Julie Garoutte of Ida Grove, IA, and Kelli Whiteing of Ida Grove, IA; eight grandchildren:

Jamie (Brett) Scholting of Dakota Dunes, SD, Melanie (Tom) Summers-Bauler of Wallingford,

IA, Ryan (Amanda) Summers of Lorimor, IA, Courtney (Travis) Van Ginkel of Rock Valley, IA,

Mandi (Kembe) Kleinwolterink of Humble, TX, Nathan (Leah) Lingren of Grimes, IA, Aaron

Lingren of Sioux City, IA, and MGySgt (USMC) Billy (Jennifer) Conard of Sneads Ferry, NC; 23 great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law Jean Rossow of Jeffersen, IA and Geri Irwin of Yankton, SD; brother-in-law Delbert Lindquist of Gowrie, IA; several nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, Merlyn Lingren and William Conard; father Robert

Brown; mother Evelyn Brown Ferguson; stepfather Donald Ferguson; sister Audrée Grove; both Brown and Jones grandparents; son-in-law Patrick Garoutte; brothers-in-law: Raymond Grove, Donald Lingren, Richard Lingren, Dennis Lingren, Willy Korner, Bob Baeth, Mark Rossow; sisters-in law: Leora Lindquist, Ione Korner, Waverline Baeth; grandson Adam Lingren; and granddaughter-in-law Jamie Lingren.