Marie Conway 
The Mercer County Fair awarded blue ribbons to Marie Conway for her
homemade peanut brittle, but the love of family, friends and neighbors
was the prize she cherished most.
Marie H. Conway 93, of Aledo, died Sunday, Nov. 3, 2002, at the
Mercer County Hospital in Aledo.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 11 a.m. Thursday at St.
Catherine's Catholic Church, Aledo, with her nephew, Cardinal William H.
Keeler, Archbishop of Baltimore, and the Rev. John Thieryoung presiding.
Visitation is 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Fippinger Funeral Home, Aledo, a
rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m.
Mrs. Conway was born May 15, 1909, in Lawrence, Kan., to Anthony
C. and Christina Hitschmann Hess and soon moved with her family to Reno,
Kan. She married Dr. Martin E. Conway on Feb. 3, 1940, in Aledo. Dr.
Conway died Oct. 12, 1971.
Following graduation from high school in Tonganoxie, Kan., she
completed nurses training at St. Joseph's Hospital in Kansas City, Mo.,
in 1930 and was employed as a registered nurse with St. Joseph's
Hospital as well as providing private duty nursing services.
On May 18, 1933, she was employed by United Airlines as one of
many pioneering stewardesses with that company. She was initially
detailed to the Kansas City-Dallas division and in 1934 was promoted to
the position of Chief Stewardess of the Midwest (Omaha) Division and
placed in charge of hiring, training and supervision of all stewardesses
flying routes between Cheyenne-Omaha-Kansas City-Chicago.
In 1936, while serving as Chief Stewardess of the Midwest (Omaha)
Division, she was promoted to Chief Stewardess of the Eastern
(Cleveland) Division of United Airlines, and placed in a supervisory
position over all stewardesses in the eastern portion of the United
States. She retained this position until she retired to marry in 1940.
At the time she retired from United Airlines she had flown more than
1,500,000 air miles and frequently represented United in publicity,
becoming one of the most photographed stewardesses in United's efforts
to promote passenger air transportation to the public.
Mrs. Conway was always involved in numerous community affairs,
serving as an active member of the Aledo Parent-Teacher Association, St.
Catherine's Altar and Rosary Society, the Mercer County Medical Society
Auxiliary and the Mercer County Business and Professional Women. She
also served each of these organizations in various capacities, including
president. Whether serving as a Cub Scout Den Mother, providing
volunteer nursing services for Red Cross Blood Drives, or raising
scholarship funds to assist students attending nursing school or
college, she considered it both her obligation and her reward to be able
to help others. As an example, to raise scholarship money she worked
tirelessly selling pecans on behalf of the Mercer County Business and
Professional Women's Club. It is estimated that she sold and personally
delivered more than a ton of pecans in this effort -- approximately a
half-pound of pecans for every man, woman, and child in the Aledo community.
While she loved being with her family and friends, and in her
yard with her flowers, her special joy was in her five grandchildren and
her wonderful neighbors.
Survivors include her sons and daughters-in-law, Martin E. Conway
Jr. and Patricia G. Conway, Aledo, Michael A. Conway and Erlinda F.
Conway, Chicago; grandchildren. Sean M. Conway, Christina M. Shaver,
Kelly M. Conway, Cynthia B. Wuller and William Colin Conway, all of
Chicago; brother and sister-in-law, Urban and Mae Hess, Shawnee Mission,
Kan.; a sister, Alfreda Hess, Fredonia, Kan.; numerous nieces, nephews
and her special friend, Irene A. Miller, Aledo, also survive her. She
was preceded in death by her husband Dr. Martin E. Conway, an infant
son, her parents and a brother, Ernest E. (Gene) Hess.
Memorials made be made to St. Catherine's Church, Mercer County
Nursing Home or to Mercer County Hospital.
(Rock Island Argus, Tuesday, November 5, 2002)
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