Helen Conard

Celebration of Life Service: Will be held on Sunday, March 7, 2021, at 3:30 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Greenfield with burial at the Greenfield Cemetery. Pastor Melinda Stonebraker will officiate the service. 

Family Visitation: The family will greet friends on Sunday, March 7, 2021, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Greenfield United Methodist Church. 

Memorials: To CJ’s Foundation (In Memory of her grandson Cale) or to the Greenfield United Methodist Church. 

Helen Glee (Duff) Conard peacefully went to her heavenly home on March 3, 2021, with her daughters by her side. Helen had a deep and abiding love for the Lord. Her faith was strong and sustained her through the valleys and onto the mountaintops of her earthly life.

Helen was born November 12, 1945 to James and Maxine Duff, joining brother Jimmy and sister Ruby. Helen was a proud Greenfield Tiger cheerleader and graduated from Greenfield High School with the class of 1963. She enjoyed organizing and attending class reunions for her class for many years.

In 1964, Helen was welcomed into the Conard family and was a devoted daughter-in-law. She enjoyed spending time visiting and cooking Sunday dinners with Grandma Conard. Helen always made sure that her own yard and Grandma’s yard were mowed meticulously.

She was blessed with two daughters, Jodi in 1965 and Jaci in 1969. She was a loving and supportive mother, never missing a sporting event or band concert. While raising the girls, weekends were spent hosting slumber parties with the girl’s friends or at the cabin with the Gross family.

Helen was very active in the Greenfield community. She was part of organizing the first booster club, concession stands, and other community celebrations. She made cakes and mints for many weddings and graduation parties.

Her greatest joys came in being a grandma to Cory and Courtney born in 1997; Connor in 1998; Casey in 1999; Quinn and Cale, or as she liked to call the youngest boys “Quale”, born in 2001. Grandma Helen was happiest sitting on the bleachers watching her grandsons participate in everything. Her favorite teams to cheer for were the Sigourney Savages, the Van Meter Bulldogs and the Nodaway Valley Wolverines. She spent many hours cheering with her dear friends, JoAnn and Linda.

Helen was the Clerk of District Court for Adair County and retired in 2001, after 33 years of service to the county and the state of Iowa. She was a hard worker and was very proud of the work ethic that she passed on to her children and grandchildren.

Helen had a servant’s heart. She would bring food to anyone who was in need. She was a lifelong member of the Greenfield United Methodist Church and worked as the secretary of the church for ten years in her retirement. She served countless funeral dinners, was known for her scotcharoos, and always kept the church kitchen running smoothly. She will be dearly missed by the “back pew gang” on Sunday mornings.

Grandma Helen was a people person and made friends everywhere she went. She loved to give hugs and did not know a stranger. If you were her friend, you were her family. She loved her friends, their children, and their grandchildren as her own. She loved to tell stories of bowling tournaments, countless road trips, Bridge club, Thursday night golf, Golden Girls Golf league and the many, many days of stagettes and tournaments at the Greenfield Golf and Country Club.

Welcoming her into the Kingdom: her granddaughter Courtney Maxine Corcoran, and her grandson Cale Alan Jarmes; her parents Jim and Maxine Duff; brother Jimmy Duff and sister-in-law Karen Duff; nephew Michael O’Brien; niece Kay Ann Duff; her mother and father-in-law Harvey and Wilda Conard; along with many dear friends and family members.

Left to carry on her legacy are her children and grandchildren: Jodi, Pat, Connor and Quinn Corcoran; Jaci, Gary, Cory and Casey Jarmes; her beloved sister and best friend Ruby O’Brien; many nieces and nephews, and three communities of kids and grandkids that loved their “Grandma Helen.”