Leon Eugene Conrad

Leon Eugene Conrad, 95 of Ponca, Nebraska passed away on Sunday, November 30, 2025 at the Holy Spirit Retirement Home in Sioux City, Iowa. Funeral Services will be at 6:00 p.m. Friday, December 5, 2025 at the Ponca United Methodist Church with Reverend Debra Tompsett-Welch as Clergy and Military Honors by the American Legion Post 117 of Ponca. Interment will be the following week at Silver Ridge Cemetery of Rural Ponca. Visitation, with family present, will begin at 4:00 p.m. Friday at the church before the service. Mohr & Becker-Hunt Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.  The family would like to thank Holy Spirit Retirement Home for all their wonderful care and love.  In lieu of flowers, the family has asked that donations be made to the Ponca Educational Foundation or Ponca Veterans Memorial.

Leon was born in Ponca, Nebraska on September 20, 1930, the son of Earl Conrad and Ella (Kamrath). Leon attended school at Ponca Public School, graduating in 1948. His senior year of high school, Leon and his future wife were crowned Ponca homecoming King and Queen.

In March 1952, at the age of 21, he started basic training in the heavy weapon infantry of the Army. During the Korean War, he was sent to Frankfurt, Germany in September 1952. He was stationed with the Headquarters Company of the 4th Division and was assigned to the post office. He remained in Germany for 18 months where he reached the rank of corporal and returned home in February 1954.

Leon married his high school sweetheart, Jenny (Meyers) in April 1951. They lived in Ponca most of their lives. In 1957, their only child, Pam, was born. At that time, Leon was working for the railroad sorting mail. In 1961, he took over his late father’s rural mail route as a carrier. In 1962, Leon and Jenny opened the Park Drive-In in Ponca. In 1965 Leon bought the Nebraska Journal Leader and ran it for over a decade. In 1976 Leon started working for the Omaha World Herald. In 1978, he began working for Midwestern Paper Company, where he retired in 1993.

Leon was a member of the Ponca United Methodist Church. Before his health turned, he enjoyed going for coffee three times a week with his good friends. Leon always loved attending Ponca Indian sporting events and rooting for his Nebraska Cornhuskers. During his lifetime, Leon served on the Ponca School Board and Ponca City Council, taught Sunday School, led church youth groups, and served on the Nebraska Judicial Nominating Commission.

Leon was a man of strong faith and loved helping people whenever he had the chance. He found the greatest joy in spending time with his friends and family. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. Everyone who knew Leon through the years experienced his witty humor and playful personality.

Leon is survived by his beautiful and loving wife, Jenny; his daughter, Pam White (Murray) of Jackson; his granddaughter, Kylee Kephart (Clif) of Ponca and their three children, Brooks (10th grade), Ridgley (6th grade), and Canyon (3rd grade); his grandson, Chris White (Jamie) of Jackson and their four children, Lincoln (9th grade), Johna (7th grade), Drew (4th grade), and Beckham (1st grade); two sisters-in-law, Leona Conrad and Joy Russell; brother-in-law, Paul Meyers; and many nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends. 

Leon was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Ella, brothers Clayton (Farris) and Kenneth, and his sister Naida Ann (Jack) Reed.