James Condra

A celebration of the life of Dr. James Bruce Condra, 71, Gadsden, will be held at 2 pm Friday, September 4,2009, at Ivy Creek United Methodist Church, Autaugaville, Alabama. The Rev.James Haskins will officiate with prayer by the Rev.Tony Antonelli. Lawrence Brown Funeral Home is directing. Dr. Condra was born in Austin, Texas on November 19,1937. He graduated from Hicks Memorial High School, in Autaugaville, Alabama in 1955 and from the University of Alabama with a bachelor's degree in 1959, a master's degree in 1963 and a Doctor of Education in 1965. He retired after 44 years of service in the field of education; the majority of which was devoted to the University of Alabama. While working he held the positions, of high school teacher, college instructor, professor of education, Director of the University of Alabama Gadsden Center, Associate Dean of the College of Continuing Education and Assistant Dean of the College of Education. Dr. Condra was a long time member of the choir and Sunday school teacher at Forest Lake United Methodist Church, Tuscaloosa, Alabama and more recently First United Methodist Church, Gadsden, Alabama. His other joys in life included hunting, writing, and playing dominos and cards with friends and family. Dr. Condra was the husband of Laura Houston Condra for 52 years. He was the son of T.e. and Rhoda Lawhon Condra (deceased). He was the brother of Helen Mercer, Waco, Texas and Robert Condra (deceased). He was the father of Mark (Barbara) Condra and Cindy (Gordon) Isbell, Gadsden, and Dayna (Chip) Parker, Marietta, Georgia. He was the grandfather of Claire Condra, William and Ellen Cornutt, Gadsden, and Laura, Mary and Daniel Parker, Marietta, Georgia. Pallbearers will be William Cornutt, Daniel Parker, Robert Condra, Jr., Joe Rives, Rendy Taylor and Dr. James McLean. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Edward Booth, Ron Cobb, John Davies, John Thomas Lawhon, Mike Morris, Harold Phillips and Dr. Bill Thomas. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made in his memory to the James Cordra Endowed Scholarship Fund, University of Alabama, P.O. Box 870231, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. The family will receive friends from noon until service time Friday at Ivy Creek United Methodist Church