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Ernest Eugene & Shirley Ann Conger 1 
  Ernest Eugene was born July 4th, 1937 at the John Griggs home on the corner of Hwy 149 as it enters Exline from the west. We moved to house right across from the school in 1938 and I went to that school for first 8 years (no kindergarten). We lived right across the street (south side of street) from the school which is now gone though the house still stands. As the Exline High School was closed the year I graduated from 8th grade, I attended the High School in Cincinnati, Ia. for 4 years and graduated in 1954 when I was 16 years of age. I then stayed in Brookfield, Mo. with an
uncle, Tom Seals for a few months. Got my first
job with Brown Shoe Co. there in Brookefield
making shoes in the fall of 1954. Quit there and
moved back to Exline, Ia in Jan 1955 and got a
job in Centerville, Ia at the Box Factory
(Baxter Box). Quit there and went north for more
money and I took a job at Gray Iron Foundry in
east end of Marshalltown, Ia. working with Litel
Bates, Freddy Sumpter and Danny O'Donnel. Turned
18 years of age while working Enlisted in the Army's 3rd Armored Division (Gyroscope) with Bob Hudson and Gene Hamm in July of 1955 soon after turning 18. We went to Des Moines (where Gene Hamm was separated from the group and did not go to 3AD) then on to Camp Chaffee, Arkansas where we got all clothing issue, shots, etc. then on to 3AD at Ft Knox, Kentucky where we took "Basic Training" in the units we were assigned to. We got there a little late which in my case, shortened an already reduced (6 week), schedule because they felt Ordnance units didn't need the full 8 week basic training. I think I received just a little less than 5 weeks of the training.
 I had gone through all the tables there except the last one and I was standing there thinking about trying to go back to the Service Section/Carburetor-Ignition table when the guy at the Wheel & Track table, Sgt.Truslow, said "better make up your mind kid, you're running out of tables. Just what kind of job do you want, anyway?" Having come from a coal mining area where even that was petering out, I blurted out "I don't know, I'll work at about anything as long as it's clean and not too heavy work!" (I sure didn't want to dig coal). And to my astonishment and later delight, the guy at the very last table, Sgt. Mullett, said "Come on over here son, I think I have just what you are looking for" and signed me up for Fire Control Instrument Repair in his Armaments Platoon. I then went to school in Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland and was given MOS 403.20 Fire Control Instrument Repairman and worked on artillery, tank, etc. gun sights and other optical equipment like binoculars and telescopes - I really loved and appreciated the job. I then returned to Ft Knox and stayed there until May 1956 and then we, still 3rd AD, went to Coleman Kaserne in Gelnhausen, Germany for 2 years and then home to end the 3-year enlistment. I turned 21 years of age coming back on the boat and was released from active duty and went into inactive reserve on Jul 9, 1958 in Ft Sheridan, Il.. I only relate this story
of the military training for some of the
old-timers that might see it and have interest
and to advise the youngsters to always speak up
and at least let the world know of your
aspirations, your Sgt. Mullett might be
listening.   After I got out of the Army in
1958, I worked at various jobs around Appanoose
county. The county was a "depressed"
area in those days because of the shift of
industry from coal which we mined to natural gas
and fuel oil which we didn't. Has been depressed
since I can remember and good jobs were always
hard to find. We have had a continual drain on the
local population because of this, the county
losing at least half of its population during my
lifetime, so after about 2.5 years thrashing
around in this area looking for a good job and not
finding it, I went back into the Army for another
3-year enlistment. I went to Alaska this time and
was there in Ft Richardson for 2 years with the
24th Ordnance Company after which I rotated back
to the states and spent 1 year with the 705th
Maintenance Battalion of the 5th Infantry Division
(Mechanized) in Ft. Carson Co. and got out in Dec
1963. Fire Control Repairman, again. Sometimes
even an "aggressor" - in 5th Infantry Division
Yakima, Washington exercise.
While in Ft. Richardson, Alaska I managed to go to their NCO Academy. It was not much of an institution as far as size, etc. goes but I sure learned a lot at that little school and have always appreciated what they taught me as it has stood me in good stead ever since and I yet today successfully employ principles that I learned there. After finishing my 2nd 3-year enlistment in Dec 1963, I went straight to the "Quad-City" area (Davenport, Ia.) and quickly found employment with John Deere Malleable Foundry in East Moline, Il. I worked there until I could get a job at the Rock Island Arsenal where hopefully I could make use of my military training for personal advancement and "military time" for retirement. The civil service employment did not work out for me so I returned to the "civilian" work force and quickly worked, in succession, at John Deere Plow Works, Farmall, and J.I.. Case (combine) as regular production worker before entering construction work where I settled in and worked as a laborer for several years, generally around concrete. I belonged to Laborer's Local 309 in Rock Island, Il., enjoyed the work generally and was/am very proud of some of the projects I helped build:
I met many people and families in the Quad-City area which were from Appanoose County, IA. It was not uncommon, when working or just conversing with neighbors or acquaintances, to find either they or their spouse were from our home town area and had made the move there during or soon after THE WAR. This helped me to settle into life in a strange town. About
this
time in 1970, I became acquainted with a young woman
who was to become my wife and who still calls me her
husband: Shirley Ann Ehlers Conger 
  Shirley's family, parents Bernice and Emil and two Brothers and two sisters, are small farmers from NE of Wyoming, Iowa. She went to the schools in the area; Country School, Monmouth and Wyoming. One of her sisters, Donna married Ronald Conger, Gene's brother, thus was acquaintance of Gene and Shirley made. So having made
acquaintance, Shirley and I were quietly married in
the Methodist Parsonage in Moulton, Iowa June 17, 1971
and just as quietly celebrated the event with my
brother John and his wife and my parents in the
lengthening shadows of my father's Troy's front yard,
next to "Banty" Sales' home.
In a couple of years, our family of three, Shirley, Brian and Gene, saw an addition, the first of Shirley's and Gene's four children, Naomi Ann ......
This all happened down in Exline, Ia and the kids went to church at the "Christian Church" where everyone is pretty nice. The kids went to grade school in Cincinnati, Ia. and we lived in a double wide "trailer" in the northeast part of Exline. When we set up our domicile in Exline, I went to
work on construction projects in the area and
sandwiched between them, I worked at Iowa Steel
& Wire where we set up the "Wire" plant, later
"Penn Dixie".
As you can see by the photos, I was pretty slim in those younger days but cake at my mother's and lots of fried fish and morel mushrooms have collected their toll. My last construction job was Reed Construction out of Kirksville, Mo who built the Young Radiator Company plant here in Centerville, Ia. I worked building the plant and was "laid off" just before they were completely done. Did some fishing which some of it can be seen at http://www.eeconger.com/fn1.html - haven't done too much lately (2003) but sure did back in latter 1900s. Since
I was contemplating a move from construction to
manufacturing, I beat it over to the local community
college in Ottumwa and using the "G.I. Bill"
financing, took some refresher courses on drafting,
shop math and machining out at the airport. I ran
into Larry Reed and Terry King there (later Young
Radiator Co. employees) and we went to school
together for awhile until Young's responded to my
resume and called me for possible employment in the
early summer of 1975. Larry & Terry came to
Young's after they completed the course. I started employment with Young Radiator Co. on June 2nd, 1975. Some maintenance people were in place when I went there in the first production group of 11 people. Our 11 people drew clock numbers and I drew no. 27 (as I said, there were some maintenance employees there when we got there). We received some training in soldering and more shop math and drawing at the same time we started making radiators. The back doors were still not completely installed when we shipped our first radiators (destined for forklifts some where, I think).
Soon after this start-up phase, I was asked if I would be interested in the job of a Quality Control Manager and I accepted, of course.
Note the stack of radiators to lower right of that picture. These were "Motor Coach" radiators with drawn 1/8" steel tanks, two rads per installation, placed in buses (like Greyhound). We kept manufacturing radiators until eventually we looked something like this:
That would be me, Gene (or Ernie as I was called
at Young Radiator Co.), in the upper left corner
with the tie and ID tag on my jacket.
 Young Radiator Company was sold to
Motive Power Industries which in turn merged with
Westinghouse Airbrake Company and in the reorganization
of the company, the Centerville plant (with their
product line) are being phased out. Since I am
retirement age, I have taken the early retirement
package and have  retired.
I'll lay around this summer doing some put-off chores
and familiarize myself with this new life then start
looking for something to occupy my time this fall. Not
sure what the wife is planning but I imagine it would
have something to do with housewiving and relaxing at
every chance? But now, a photo for retirement ........
and now it's getting close to time to say "OK kids, its
all yours, just let the Grandkids come over and play
every now and then" ......... after all, the kids
are what its all about, isn't it?
Here is Shirley on her 60th birthday (Feb 17). There was cake , ice cream etc and you can see the cake in the photo. Nothing fancy but message was clear. She is a valued member of the family and it couldn't function without her. Grandmas, are after all, the greatest people on the earth - just ask anybody.
Now (7/4/04) Gene has a birthday, his 67th ...........
Yep, s'what it's all
about ...........
Got
nearly the whole crew here ………… short
just one for the picture, Troy.
 Riley, Shonmikel, Ethan, Emily, Zoie, Carlie, Nickolas. Gene’s posing with Ethan in Presbyterian Church at debut of his career as pianist ……  Well, now – looks like Shirley has retired for sure. She has her first S.S. check, received April 3, 2006.  Looks
like
her recent illness has caused some weight loss but she
seems in good health, energetic and buzzing around the
house working at this and that ………….. a lot of
quilting which she does pretty fair job at it.
I don’t know who invented these things but I don’t think I’ve met anyone who wouldn’t eat one …….   Shirley’s
getting
better
on
the
computer
and
has
taken
up
gaming
but
kind
of looks like she may have got the short end here.
I guess it's been too long since any pictures were posted to this page. Look at this one! Troy, Shirley, Naomi & Ethan.  They are bigger than she is already!! Gene's Song: Webpage / Song / The Words Gene's
Newspaper:
The Ottumwa
Courier
Ernest Conger 12/26/2015
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there. 
Emphasis
was given to our advanced training which I was
assigned to Co. B 122nd Armored Ordnance
Battalion. At the end of basic training, we were
in formation by the Company Orderly Room when
the 1st Sergeant announced that the different
company sections were set up at table inside the
orderly room and that we would select that same
day the jobs or training that we would be doing
the remainder of our enlistments. He said that
when he gave the command "Fall Out!" it was
first come, first served-the first ones there
got their pick of jobs. 
And about every
two years (for six years) another child was added
until we had 5 kids, a dog or two, some cats and a
cockatoo bird (held here by Naomi). Shown here left
to right; Shirley w/Naomi, Danny, Sarah, Naomi with
the bird and Sam with a doughnut. 
That's me in
the dark cap standing on an 8-inch concrete block in
front of the piping conduit in between the doors.
That's Fred Young Jr. in the tie just in front of me
and the Plant Manager, Ron Reynolds, just to his
left. The second group of production people had been
brought on board just prior to taking of this
picture. 
And that's me on the left.
My buddies on the plant's management staff, left to
right; John Erhart Production and Inventory Control,
Ken Lauterbach Personnel, Bernie Moore Industrial
Engineering and Bob Webb Assistant to Plant Manager.
We appear to not have a Production guy at this time.
you
can see, the family has grown.
