Retha M. Conkey – 93 Years of Adventures

Retha Mae (Johns) Conkey, age 93 of Lake Forest, CA, passed away on May 13, 2024, at Crown Cove in Corona Del Mar.  She was born on November 24, 1930, in Ackley, Iowa to the late William (Bill) Johns and Lois Johns (Smith).  She was the wife of the late James (Jim) Conkey.  After graduating from high school, she married Jim in 1949 and they quickly moved to Southern California.  They settled in South Gate, where Retha took a job at Monsanto while Jim attended the University of Southern California to finish his degree.  They eventually moved to Downey and lived there for almost 10 years. During that time, they became parents to four girls and one boy.   Retha and Jim loved to socialize with all of the neighbors and their families, many of whom became their lifelong friends.

The family moved to Riverside in 1964.  Retha continued to stay active and create new friends while raising their five children. Her focus at that time was raising the kids, which included organizing carpools, signing them up to be in competitive swimming at the local swim club, and getting them involved in scouting, day camp and weekly movies in the summertime.  She continued to stay in contact and visit her father, Bill and his wife Getrude and her brother Larry and his wife Frieda and their families in Iowa.

In 1968, Jim took a new job in Orange County, CA, and they moved to Villa Park.  Retha was delighted to meet new friends and became a charter member in the Villa Park Women’s League.  She joined the Ladies Daytime Bridge and Golf Club.  Her friends would go on legendary sleepovers in a variety of locations, which included Palm Springs and La Costa.  Rethaand Jim joined the gourmet dinner group which morphed into the Saturday steak and bridge night.  

They moved to New Jersey for a short stay in 1969 and quickly moved back to Villa Park after Jim’s job was relocated to Long Beach.  In 1970, Retha was surprised by becoming pregnant at 40 and in 1971 her fifth daughter was born.  They moved again to New Jersey in 1975 and returned to California in 1976.  Retha continued to stay social with her friends and became an active member in non-profit organizations, which included Providence Speech and Hearing.

Jim and Retha became grandparents in 1980 and were blessed to have six grandchildren.  When Jim passed in 1993, Retha’s mother, Lois, moved in with her and they moved to Irvine.  Retha went to work at St. Joseph and St. Jude Hospitals where she worked as an assistant in the physical therapy section.  Once she decided to retire, she kept in contact and with many of her friends and stayed active with her family.

In retirement, Retha got the travel bug and travelled many times to Europe, Africa, New England, Hawaii and of course Iowa.  After Lois’s passing, mom continued to maintain an independent life and kept up with her many friends via phone calls, Christmas letters and luncheons.  She eventually moved in with Denise, her daughter, in Irvine and they eventually moved to Baker Ranch in Lake Forest.

Denise became mom’s primary care giver, friend and advocate. Denise cherished her relationship with mom and it was one of the primary reasons why mom lived such a long and happy life.Jillian Bowen and caregivers, Laura, Remy and Lani all played huge roles in assisting mom as well.

While we are all at a loss without our mother, Retha is and will always be a constant reminder to “pick up your bedroom and make your bed”, enjoy good food and travel, remain together as a family and to always cherish and love your family and friends.   

Retha is survived by five daughters-- Debra Conkey and her partner Anna Cathleen Greiner, Denise Bowen, Dee DeeConkey, Darlene Kelly and her husband Mike, Danielle Richter and her husband Chad, one son, Michael Conkey and his partner Dave Prusch, seven grandchildren Jennifer, Jessica, Jillian, Lauren, Ryan, Catherine and Hannah and two great-grandchildren, Tess and Ava.

Retha was preceded in death by her husband Jim and her brother Larry Johns.

A rosary and visitation will be held at 6:00 pm on June 28, 2024,at the Chapel of Orange, 215 N. Grand St, Orange, CA  92866

Services will be held at 10:00 am on June 29, 2024, at the Chapel of Orange, 215 N. Grand St., Orange, CA 92866.  Burial will follow at Holy Sepulcher Cemetery, 7845 Santiago Canyon Road, Orange, CA  92869.

A luncheon will follow the services starting at 12:30 pm at the Orange Hill Restaurant, 6410 E. Chapman Ave., Orange, CA  92869, where we will toast and celebrate her life.

Funeral services are being handled by Shannon Family Mortuary, Orange, CA.