William Henry "Bill" Condon passed very peacefully on May 4, 2023 in the Hospice Unit of Texas Health Presbyterian Dallas, surrounded by his family. He was in his 95th year.
Bill was born April 7, 1929 in Le Mars, Iowa, the only child of Harry and Mildred (McDermott) Condon. He grew up in the small town best known as the home of Blue Bunny Ice Cream, likely the reason for his life-long love of that frozen treat.
During summers of his school years, Bill worked at Blue Bunny and also for a World War Il defense contractor. After graduating from Le Mars public schools, he first attended Westmar College then transferred to Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska. He interrupted his law school studies at Creighton to spend two years in the Arny Air Corp serving as a crew chief for a fighter wing. He returned to Creighton Law School and graduated in 1954.
Having enjoyed family visits to California, he decided to move there but to stop first in San Antonio where he had relatives. He began work as an independent insurance adjuster in south Texas until 1955, then moved to Dallas. It was there, in November, that he met Alicia O'Connor at a mixer for Catholic singles. The tall, slender Alicia was also a veteran, and out-ranked Bill, an officer as a Navy Nurse. He was instantly smitten and the pair married in July of 1956 at Holy Trinity Church in Dallas.
The newlyweds bought their first home in Richardson in 1958 and joined the new St. Paul Catholic Parish. In 1960 they became parents when son William Michael came along, and two summers later, son Thomas Joseph further expanded their family.
Bill enjoyed a long career with State Farm Insurance; as an employee for 17 years, becoming a Divisional Claims Superintendent and then Director of Education. He then became a State Farm Agent. He remained an agent for 27 years. Meanwhile, both sons, Bill and Tom, enrolled and graduated from Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas making Bill and Alicia very proud.
He loved to travel and, find family. He traced his father's roots and got an Irish passport. He made many trips to his ancestral homeland, getting to know cousins there.
Alicia developed Parkinson's disease and she died from it in early 2011. Bill sold their Richardson home, moved to a retirement complex, then took a cruise at the urging of his sons. On the trip he met Merle Turner, also recently widowed. She told him she was relocating from Missouri to Lewisville, Texas and he gave her his card to contact him and perhaps meet for coffee when she was settled. The two began dating and married in February of 2013.
The couple travelled extensively visiting Europe several times, Caribbean islands, and several South American countries, plus Mexico and Canada. They frequently cruised, crossing the Atlantic and twice traversing the Panama Canal. In January 2021 the couple moved to Edgemere Retirement Community when Bill's declining health became a challenge.
Bill had enjoyed fatherhood involvement with his sons in Indian Guides, and was a member of the Serra Club. He was a member of the Parish Counsel at St. Paul's and a covenant member of the Christian Community of God's Delight, which he had joined with Alicia. He chaired the school board of Mount St. Michael's, the CCGD's academy.
Bill was a member of the St Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Richardson, The "Wise Guys" senior men's group at St. Paul, The Knights of Columbus and enjoyed the company of other retired State Farm employees. He was an avid supporter of the Parkinson's Voice Project in Richardson and of Catholic Charities of the Dallas Diocese.
He is survived by his wife Merle, and his sons Bill (wife,Teresa) and Tom, all in the Dallas area. Bill willed his body to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School.
A Memorial Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 23, 2023 at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church 720 S. Floyd Rd. Richardson, TX. 75080, Bishop Gregory Kelly, Celebrant. A reception will follow at St. Paul Catholic Church Parish Center.
If desired, memorials in Bill's honor can be made to Catholic Charities of Dallas. A private Burial at Calvary Hill will be held at a later date.
