Col. Joseph Conrace Jr

Colonel Joseph Ettor Cornacchione Conrace, Jr, age 80 of Lamar, passed away Friday, December 20, 2013 at Missouri Veterans Home in Mount Vernon following a long illness.      Joe was born July 8, 1933 at Richmond, Virginia, the only child of Joseph and Lillian (Litzenburger) Conrace.  On his quest to become a child psychiatrist, Joe graduated from New Mexico Military Institute, the University of Virginia and Kansas City College of Osteopathy and Surgery.  During his military career, Colonel Conrace served as an armored officer and child psychiatrist in Germany and various state-side U.S. Army Posts.  He also spent many years in private practice psychiatry.  In addition to membership in several professional organizations, Dr. Conrace was a 32nd Degree Mason in the Blue Lodge in Kansas City.  He was an avid reader and enjoyed golf and tennis.  A licensed lay reader, Dr. Conrace was an active member of Grace Episcopal Church in Carthage.       On June 19, 1971, at Kansas City, Missouri, Joe married Eva Susan Walters, and she survives, of the home.  Also surviving are three sons, John (Sara) Conrace, Columbia, Missouri, George Conrace, Lamar, and Mike Conrace, Joplin; a daughter, Krissie (Jason) Walsh, Joplin; his mother-in-law, Edith Walters, Lamar; a brother-in-law, David (Galena) Walters, Kansas City; two sisters-in-law, Karla Browne, Carlisle, Pennsylvania and Kristy Ann Heckman, Lamar; and several nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Lillian; his father-in-law, Allen Walters; and brothers-in-law, Terry Heckman and Scott Browne.      A graveside funeral service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Friday, December 27th at Fort Scott National Cemetery in Fort Scott, Kansas.  Full military honors will be conducted by Fort Riley Honor Guard.      There will be no formal visitation, but friends may view and sign the guest book from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Thursday and from 9:00 a.m. until noon Friday at Daniel Funeral Home.  Memorial contributions are suggested to Grace Episcopal Church, Mary K. Finley Library, or Barton County Memorial Hospital in care of the funeral home.