JoAnn Conley, 93, of the Lakes Area passed away on Sunday, May 11, 2025, at Accura Healthcare of Milford.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, June 12, 2025, at the Lake Park First Presbyterian Church in Lake Park. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church. A luncheon will follow the service at the church. A private family burial will be held in the Silver Lake Cemetery in Lake Park. Arrangements are under the direction of the Robinson Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Online condolences may be left at www.spiritlakefuneralhome.com
JoAnn Conley was born to Ernest & Hazel McDowell on July 15th, 1931, in Lake Park, Iowa. She passed away on May 11th, 2025, at the age of 93.
JoAnn graduated from the Lake Park, IA, school system in 1948. Her focus on design. After turning down a job at Macy’s in Kansas City, MO, she returned to Lake Park & began working for her father at Security State Bank.
In 1951, JoAnn married Marvin (Dick) Kuehl. Four children were born of this union: Kelly, Steve, Sue, and Kevin. The family lived in various areas until Dick began work with his father-in-law at the Lake Park Bank. After Ernie’s retirement, Dick advanced his banking career with the ownership of three banks. Jo Ann was instrumental in those acquisitions, also serving on the Board of Directors.
They divorced in 1992. JoAnn married Dwight (Hap) Conley in Dec. of 1996. Hap was from Omaha, NE. They later divorced. Hap passed away in Nov. 2022.
JoAnn spent many years between her homes in the Iowa Great Lakes Region & Sun Lakes, AZ. She loved both locations & filled her days with golf outings, playing Mahjong, and entertaining family & friends. She welcomed all who came to visit.
When JoAnn’s arthritis became more crippling, she made the difficult decision to sell her AZ home & return fulltime to the Lakes area. After several debilitating falls, JoAnn entered the Accura Health Care Center of Milford in April of 2019. She passed away on Mother’s Day, May 11th, from those issues & the complications of dementia.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest & Hazel McDowell; brothers, Robert, Ralph & James McDowell; daughter, Sue Ellen Richardson; infant grandson, Mitchell John Murray, and first husband Dick Kuehl.
Left to cherish her memory are her children, Kelly (Verne) Murray of Ankeny, IA; Steve Kuehl of Phoenix AZ; Kevin Kuehl of Alexandria, MN; and son-in-law Gary (Brenda) Richardson of Alton, IA.
Grandchildren, Michael Murray of Ankeny; Tyler (Cassie) Brady of Norwalk, IA; Mallory (Jason) Munden, Spirit Lake, IA; Tess (Justin) Monday of Dayton, MN; Haley Kuehl of Gleenwood, MN; and Megan (Trevor) Unruh, Monticello, MN
Great-grandchildren are Taio, Trey & Landry Brady, Beckham & Blythe Munden, Gabriel & Lucka Monday, and Kayson & Kenlee Unruh. JoAnn had several nieces & nephews she also treasured.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Lake Park or St. Croix Hospice.
