Apr 17, 2023

Robert “Gene” Conklin, 89, of Prosperity passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday April 15, 2023, in Woodside Place, Washington, PA.

He was born November 8, 1933, the oldest of three children in West Union, Morris Township, Greene County, to Joseph Warren Conklin and Faye Donna McCullough.

He attended school in West Union, Nineveh, and Waynesburg High School. He also attended Waynesburg College for a year.

In June, 1952, he married Edith Rose Hickman, who died November 9, 2017.

Gene worked for PPG Industries for most of his life, moving about the country: first to New Hampshire and then Mississippi, and back to New Hampshire, where he retired in 1995. He and Edith then worked, for several years, for West Penn Wire in Las Vegas, after which they returned to Prosperity and the family farm.

They gardened and traveled extensively, visiting their 13 children and numerous grandchildren all over the country.

He was a devout and active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served as a Morris Township supervisor and served on the school boards of Morris Township Grade School and McGuffey High School.

Mr. Conklin is survived by his sister, Donna (Charles) Rose of Washington; three sons, Philip (Beth) Conklin, Tim (Mirla) Conklin, and John Conklin; and eight daughters, Melissa (Chester) Heath, Melanie (Bill) Steffey, Mary Beth (Larry) Bell, Marvel (Mark) Earnshaw, Millie (Robert) Bickmore, Mindi (Mike) Harden, Marci (John) Hills and Monica (Garret) Larson.

Deceased are a sister, Carol Stephenson; two children, Todd Gene (Debbie) Conklin and Miki Lee (Johnny) Rowan; and two grandsons, Boone Beckus and Philip Jonathan Conklin.

Also surviving are 42 grandchildren, 56 great-grandchildren and three great-great- grandchildren.

Friends will be received Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Hummell and Jones Funeral Home, 420 Locust Avenue, Washington, and on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m. the hour of services, in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 525 Fairway Drive, Washington. Interment will follow in Prosperity Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the Morris Township Historical Society at www.morristwpwashco.org. For those unable to attend in person, the service will be broadcast via the following Zoom link: https://zoom.us/j/93712829101. Hummell and Jones Funeral Home, Douglas M. Jones, supervisor and Dr. Lawrence K. Donovan, director.