Family, Friends Remember Conrads As Kind, Giving
December 27, 2016 at 5:46 p.m.
By Michael Anderson and Dale Hubler-
Kim Conrad, a 61-year-old kindergarten teacher, and Stephen Conrad II, a 32-year-old who excelled in golf, died in a “virtual head–on collision” with another vehicle in the area known as “Crazy Corners” at the intersection of Syracuse–Webster Road and CR 1200N.
Police allege Mickgomery Hisey, 26, Syracuse, was “drag racing” while headed west on CR 1200N and passed a vehicle at the crest of a hill and struck the car driven by Kim Conrad’s husband, Stephen Sr.
Hisey and his passenger, Brody Jordan, 23, Syracuse, also were hospitalized in Fort Wayne. As of this morning Hisey was listed in critical condition at Parkview Hospital and Jordan was listed in fair condition at Lutheran Hospital.
The elder Conrad was hospitalized and in fair condition this morning at Lutheran.
Kim Conrad worked with the school district since 1979, mostly as a kindergarten teacher at Syracuse Elementary. She officially retired in July.
Her husband, Stephen Sr., has worked in outside sales at Kuert Concrete.
Steve Fiddler, president of the company, said employees were shocked and devastated by their deaths. He’s worked with Stephen Sr. since the 1980s.
“The Conrads were some of the nicest people I’ve ever met,” Fiddler said.
Toward the end of her teaching career at Wawasee, Kim transitioned into a “teacher coach,” helping other teachers in the school.
She served as a cheerleading coach and worked with the gymnastics team.
“She was the valuable player that we could put anywhere,” said Dr. Tom Edington, Wawasee School Corporation superintendent.
Even though Kim retired, Eric Speicher, principal at Syracuse, said she was still involved at the school.
“She would come in and visit the students and the teachers,” he said.
Speicher said that teachers who had worked with Kim were stunned by the news. He said administrators are looking for ways to help the students deal with the tragedy.
Kim also worked as a real estate agent.
Edington said when he became superintendent 10 years ago, he questioned whether someone could be a Realtor and teach school. Edington said Kim would end his doubts, showing she could balance both jobs.
“She was really giving and the students loved her,” said Speicher.
Edington said the school may look at some type of formal memorial down the road, but school administrators are focused on helping the students and staff recover at the present time.
The school also is mourning the loss of son Stephen, who left his mark as a standout athlete at Wawasee High School, particularly in golf.
The 2003 WHS graduate was the medalist at the Homestead Regional in his junior and senior years.
In both of those seasons, he led the Warriors to regional championships and to fourth-place finishes in the state finals in Franklin.
“Stephen is the best golfer in Wawasee history,” said Warriors coach Steve Coverstone. “I am so glad he was made part of the Indiana Golf Coaches Hall of Fame (in 2015) so his mother could see that honor.”
According to his Facebook page, Stephen Conrad was living in Phoenix, Ariz., where he was the golf shop assistant at Anthem Golf and Country Club.
“Stephen was a great teammate and a nice person. He was always the first to sit out a match so others could play,” Coverstone said.
Wawasee assistant coach Rob Zurcher also will remember Conrad for the great teammate he was, and noted the whole Conrad family supported Wawasee Athletics.
“Stephen was so kind to his teammates, he was a great competitor and a great teammate,” said Zurcher.
“The whole family is that way, so kind. Kim would do anything for anyone. She was a teacher with my wife. Losing them leaves just a really empty feeling. Kim was the kind of person that if you talked to her she made you feel like her friend ... just so kind and willing to help anyone.”
Ben Barkey, now an assistant principal at Warsaw Community High School, had a chance to see Stephen Conrad from two vantage points.
Barkey was a senior in college during Conrad’s junior season with the Warrior golf team and Barkey served as an assistant coach under Coverstone.
Barkey later became the head coach of the Warsaw Tigers and got to coach against Conrad, whom he described as a competitor, a gentleman and one of the best high school players the state has seen.
“They made me feel welcome, and a lot of that had to do with Stephen Conrad,” Barkey said in a phone conversation Monday afternoon. “Steve Coverstone was the coach, but Stephen Conrad was the leader of that team.
“When I got the job at Warsaw, I got to see Stephen from another point of view, and trust me, when I say he was the last guy you wanted to see tee off for the team you were playing. He was that good. He carried himself in a confident way, but he was so willing to help anyone with their game. There were times that Stephen would be at Stonehenge, and he’d be working with my Warsaw golfers. Think about that, Wawasee’s best golfer helping players from the rival school, the rival team. That’s the kind of guy he was.”
Barkey said he has probably five “how did you do that” moments from his high school coaching career – two of them were shots by Stephen Conrad.
Conrad, who also played basketball for the Warriors and coach Phil Mishler, is among just a handful of golfers in state history to win Indiana Junior, Indiana Amateur and Indiana Open championships.
Kim and Stephen T. Conrad have two other kids, Michael and Jefferson, who were not in the car at the time of the crash
Kim Conrad, a 61-year-old kindergarten teacher, and Stephen Conrad II, a 32-year-old who excelled in golf, died in a “virtual head–on collision” with another vehicle in the area known as “Crazy Corners” at the intersection of Syracuse–Webster Road and CR 1200N.
Police allege Mickgomery Hisey, 26, Syracuse, was “drag racing” while headed west on CR 1200N and passed a vehicle at the crest of a hill and struck the car driven by Kim Conrad’s husband, Stephen Sr.
Hisey and his passenger, Brody Jordan, 23, Syracuse, also were hospitalized in Fort Wayne. As of this morning Hisey was listed in critical condition at Parkview Hospital and Jordan was listed in fair condition at Lutheran Hospital.
The elder Conrad was hospitalized and in fair condition this morning at Lutheran.
Kim Conrad worked with the school district since 1979, mostly as a kindergarten teacher at Syracuse Elementary. She officially retired in July.
Her husband, Stephen Sr., has worked in outside sales at Kuert Concrete.
Steve Fiddler, president of the company, said employees were shocked and devastated by their deaths. He’s worked with Stephen Sr. since the 1980s.
“The Conrads were some of the nicest people I’ve ever met,” Fiddler said.
Toward the end of her teaching career at Wawasee, Kim transitioned into a “teacher coach,” helping other teachers in the school.
She served as a cheerleading coach and worked with the gymnastics team.
“She was the valuable player that we could put anywhere,” said Dr. Tom Edington, Wawasee School Corporation superintendent.
Even though Kim retired, Eric Speicher, principal at Syracuse, said she was still involved at the school.
“She would come in and visit the students and the teachers,” he said.
Speicher said that teachers who had worked with Kim were stunned by the news. He said administrators are looking for ways to help the students deal with the tragedy.
Kim also worked as a real estate agent.
Edington said when he became superintendent 10 years ago, he questioned whether someone could be a Realtor and teach school. Edington said Kim would end his doubts, showing she could balance both jobs.
“She was really giving and the students loved her,” said Speicher.
Edington said the school may look at some type of formal memorial down the road, but school administrators are focused on helping the students and staff recover at the present time.
The school also is mourning the loss of son Stephen, who left his mark as a standout athlete at Wawasee High School, particularly in golf.
The 2003 WHS graduate was the medalist at the Homestead Regional in his junior and senior years.
In both of those seasons, he led the Warriors to regional championships and to fourth-place finishes in the state finals in Franklin.
“Stephen is the best golfer in Wawasee history,” said Warriors coach Steve Coverstone. “I am so glad he was made part of the Indiana Golf Coaches Hall of Fame (in 2015) so his mother could see that honor.”
According to his Facebook page, Stephen Conrad was living in Phoenix, Ariz., where he was the golf shop assistant at Anthem Golf and Country Club.
“Stephen was a great teammate and a nice person. He was always the first to sit out a match so others could play,” Coverstone said.
Wawasee assistant coach Rob Zurcher also will remember Conrad for the great teammate he was, and noted the whole Conrad family supported Wawasee Athletics.
“Stephen was so kind to his teammates, he was a great competitor and a great teammate,” said Zurcher.
“The whole family is that way, so kind. Kim would do anything for anyone. She was a teacher with my wife. Losing them leaves just a really empty feeling. Kim was the kind of person that if you talked to her she made you feel like her friend ... just so kind and willing to help anyone.”
Ben Barkey, now an assistant principal at Warsaw Community High School, had a chance to see Stephen Conrad from two vantage points.
Barkey was a senior in college during Conrad’s junior season with the Warrior golf team and Barkey served as an assistant coach under Coverstone.
Barkey later became the head coach of the Warsaw Tigers and got to coach against Conrad, whom he described as a competitor, a gentleman and one of the best high school players the state has seen.
“They made me feel welcome, and a lot of that had to do with Stephen Conrad,” Barkey said in a phone conversation Monday afternoon. “Steve Coverstone was the coach, but Stephen Conrad was the leader of that team.
“When I got the job at Warsaw, I got to see Stephen from another point of view, and trust me, when I say he was the last guy you wanted to see tee off for the team you were playing. He was that good. He carried himself in a confident way, but he was so willing to help anyone with their game. There were times that Stephen would be at Stonehenge, and he’d be working with my Warsaw golfers. Think about that, Wawasee’s best golfer helping players from the rival school, the rival team. That’s the kind of guy he was.”
Barkey said he has probably five “how did you do that” moments from his high school coaching career – two of them were shots by Stephen Conrad.
Conrad, who also played basketball for the Warriors and coach Phil Mishler, is among just a handful of golfers in state history to win Indiana Junior, Indiana Amateur and Indiana Open championships.
Kim and Stephen T. Conrad have two other kids, Michael and Jefferson, who were not in the car at the time of the crash
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