Mildred Lillian (Hampe) Conrad

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  • Mildred Lillian (Hampe) Conrad
    Mildred Lillian (Hampe) Conrad
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Mildred Lillian (Hampe) Conrad, 91, of Clifton passed away on Aug. 2, 2021. Funeral services were held at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, August 7, 2021, at Zion United Church in Womack. Burial followed at Clifton Cemetery.  Visitation was held one hour prior to the service at the church, from 12:00-1:00 p.m. The family requested that anyone attending the service to please wear a mask.

Mildred Lillian Hampe was born on August 7, 1929, in the Cayote community to William B. and Louise Ottilie (Prescher) Hampe. She was baptized on September 22, 1929, by Rev. C. Wolff at St. John’s Evangelical and Reformed Church near Valley Mills in the Bismarck community. She was confirmed on March 7, 1943, by Rev. Herbert P. Baur at Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church in Womack. Her confirmation verse was “Honor thy Father and thy Mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”

Mildred attended school in Valley Mills, Womack and graduated from Clifton High School in 1946 at age 16.  She attended Clifton Junior College for one year where she played basketball.

Mildred married Edwin Paul Conrad on November 5, 1947, at Zion E & R Church in Womack.  Three children were born to this union:  Sandra Lee who died at birth, James Edwin, and Janie Louise. They were married 72 years, one month, and three days.

Her hobbies were cooking, fishing and enjoying her family and friends, especially her grandchildren who she was very proud of.  Mildred’s talent was music.  She served as pianist and organist for Zion E & R Church (later Zion United Church) beginning at age 13 (1943) until she retired in 2008 after 66 years.  She enjoyed working with the youth and adult choirs.

One of her greatest enjoyments was having her family join her around the piano at home and singing together, which they did quite often.  She also loved playing bridge with her friends.

As a lifetime member of the church, she was active in all phases of church life including several terms on the church council, as treasurer, president of the Women’s Guild, Sunday School teacher, and served on many planning committees of events like the Sausage Supper and the 100th Anniversary celebration of Zion United Church. She served on the Church and Ministry Committee for the North Texas Association. For 12 years, Mildred served on the Board of Directors at Back Bay Mission of UCC making four trips a year to Biloxi, Mississippi. She and Edwin would manage to break up these trips with a stopover at the casino in Lake Charles or by seeing their grandson, Austin, in Baton Rouge.

Mildred was active in the VFW Auxiliary, Sons of Hermann, Civic Society, and was a member of the Bosque Arts Center and Bosque County Museum.  She did volunteer work at the VA Hospital through the VFW Auxiliary, and volunteered at the Sunset Home, Clifton Care Center, and Goodall Witcher Care Center.

Mildred was a longtime employee of the Lone Star Gas Company in Clifton from 1957 until her retirement in 1988 after 31 years of service.

Mildred loved to travel.  She and Edwin took five cruises and multiple long road trips.  They managed to travel through most of the 50 states, Mexico and Canada.

Mildred was preceded in death by her husband of 72 years Edwin Conrad; her mother and father W.B. and Louise Hampe; her brothers Harold and Ralph Hampe; and sisters Elsie Mueller and Ora Belle Helms.

Mildred is survived by her son, James Edwin (Jim) Conrad and wife Paula; daughter Janie Louise Johnson and husband Ridge; grandchildren Whitney Villegas and husband Justin, Bill Conrad, Austin Conrad, and Jonathan Conrad; great grandchildren Cooper and Camden Villegas; and many nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were Bill Conrad, Austin Conrad, Jonathan Conrad, Justin Villegas, Bill Helms, and Joe Hernandez.

The family would like to thank the staff of Lutheran Sunset Ministries for their loving care.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the building fund of Zion United Church, 1411 FM 219, Clifton, Texas, 76634.