Joe Conklin II
Retired as a colonel after serving for 30 years in United States Air Force

Joseph Edward Conklin, 86, of Club House Road, passed away on Sunday, Dec. 30, 2007, at Wendover House in Shelby.

Mr. Conklin was a member of Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witness. Born in Stony Point, N.Y., he was the husband of Zofia D. Conklin and son of the late Abram Edward Conklin and Alice Elizabeth Chasse´ Conklin. He was first married to the late Elizabeth Jean Hamrick Conklin.

Mr. Conklin was a graduate of the University of Maryland and the USAF War College. A Mason, he was a member of the VFW, American Legion and the Purple Heart Society. Mr. Conklin was a retired colonel, having served in the United States Air Force for 30 years. His distinguished military career included eight major campaigns in Europe and he had to his credit 65 combat missions during World War II and 13 combat missions in the Korean Conflict.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son, Joseph Edward Conklin III and wife, Dori, of Tacoma, Wash.; four daughters, Dr. Cynthia Lambert and husband, Dr. Sean Lambert, of Alpharetta, Ga., Alice Sweeney and husband, Gary, of Cumming, Ga., Barbara Taylor and husband, Michael, of Black Mountain, N.C., and Robin Orner and husband, Tim, of Corpus Christi, Texas; a step-daughter, Mariola Penden and husband, John, of Greenville; a sister, Lillian Harris of West End, N.C.; eight grandchildren, Ginny Conklin-Fleming, Matthew Lambert, Christopher Lambert, Stephen Sweeney, Michael Sweeney, Kelly Orner, Tim Orner and Taylor Orner; and two stepgrandchildren, Konrad Gorski and Daniel Gorski.

A memorial service will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at Kingdom Hall of Jehovah Witness in Gaffney. The family will gather at 153 Club House Road later that day at 3 p.m. to receive guests and have a celebration of life.

The family will gather Saturday at 1 p.m. at 1854 Timber Drive in Mooresboro, N.C., for the interment services. This is where family and friends will honor his service to his country.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of Cleveland County, 951 Wendover Heights Drive, Shelby, N.C. 28150.

An online guest register is available at www.blakelyfuneralhome. com.