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James Edward Conner and his wife Gussie
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James
Edward is the oldest son of James and
Arletha Conner, born March 21, 1929 in Marion County,
South Carolina.
From
the time he was nine months old, he lived with his Grandfather
James Conner and his daughters.
When he started school he was taken into the home of his
Aunt Mary Jane and her husband, Todd Isreal, so that he
would not have to ride the school bus.
James (3rd from left) sitting on the porch with three of his cousins
Marion and Claudius (left) and David Jr. (right).
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James attended the Public Schools of Marion County and graduated from Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina in 1951. He then taught Chemistry and was one of the coaches in Edgefield, South Carolina for three months before being inducted into the United States Army.
James served for two years in the Korean Conflict and was stationed at one time in Japan. He then returned home and applied for Graduate School at Columbia University in New York. While waiting for his acceptance at Columbia, he was offered a job at Dupont's Savannah River Laboratory working in Research with one of his College Professors, Dr. Ed Russell. So in June of 1953 James moved to Aiken, South Carolina to work for Dupont. His Aunt Mary Jane died in September that same year. |
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James and Gussie celebrate their 50th
Wedding Anniversary in June of 2004
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On October 13, 1953 he met Gussie Elizabeth Brayboy on a blind date arranged by a friend. Eight months later, on June 13, 1954 he was united in marriage to the "blind date" and they resided in Augusta, Georgia.
James
and Gussie became parents in 1956 to a daughter,
Velyna Elizabeth and in 1957 to a second daughter,
Weyta Louise. In 1990, Weyta and her husband, Michael
William Malone, blessed them with their first grandchild,
Michael Jr. and then in 1991, Velyna and her husband,
Frank William Johnson, blessed them with a granddaughter,
Joya Elizabeth.
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James was an active member of Thankful Baptist Church in Augusta, Georgia. He has served as a Boy Scout Leader and a Trustee, as well as Senior Member of the Board of Deacons, President of the Gospel Choir for 49 years, and Teacher of the Brayboy Bible Class of the Sunday School for 45 years, and member of the Executive Board for the Vision 2000 committee. After his retirement in 1991, he set aside two days of each week to visit the sick and shut-in members of the church.
Also after retiring, James served as the first President of the Laney Walker Development Corporation. It was during his term that the Armstrong Galleria, Phase I was constructed. He served the community well until his health began to fail.
His
favorite Bible verse is found in Proverbs, chapter 3, verses
5 and 6: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart;
and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways
acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths."
James was called to his eternal reward on November 2, 2004 and is buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Augusta, Georgia. |
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