David Wilson Conley, 95, passed away on Monday, June 21, 2021, with his loving wife of 62 years, Clara Jane Dailey Conley, by his side at their family home in Huntsville, AL. He was born on September 14, 1925, in Burke County, NC to the late Fred Jay Conley and the late Mae Fannie (Stephens) Conley.
David received his early education at Burke County schools and graduated from Morganton (N.C.) High School in 1942. At the age of 17, he enlisted in the United States Navy. He was trained as an aviation machinist and gunner and served as an Aircrewman, patrolling the South Pacific during World War II. He was later a proud honoree on the Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. in October 2009.
David received a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State University in 1952. Following graduation, he began his career at Shell Oil Company in Houston, TX and Martinez, CA. Later, he was employed with Douglas Aircraft in Charlotte, NC, as a project engineer for the Nike Hercules Missile Program. He brought his family to Huntsville, AL in 1963 after accepting a position with Brown Engineering Company. Shortly after, David joined NASA Marshall Space Flight Center as an engineer manager and became technical manager of Boeing and Chrysler’s Saturn 5 engineering support contracts. He retired from NASA after an exemplary 25-year career.
David came from a long line of Methodists and was active in the Methodist Church all his life, including being a member of Latham United Methodist Church in Huntsville, AL. He was also a member of the United States Junior Chamber (Jaycees), American Society of Mechanical Engineers, and was a registered Professional Engineer in Alabama.
David married Clara Jane Dailey of Marlboro County, SC, on September 10, 1960. Survivors include his wife; daughters and sons-in-law, Melinda Dianne (Conley) and Glenn Crocker of Huntsville, AL, Janice Leigh (Conley) and Kent L. Sauter, MD of Knoxville, TN, and Claudia Marie (Conley) and Harry Lioce of Huntsville, AL; proud grandfather of Brian Conley Penick of Huntsville, AL, Taylor Michelle Lioce of Washington, D.C., Harrison Lioce of Detroit, MI, and Danielle Rhea Lioce, of Chicago, IL; brother and sister-in-law, Bill Alfred and Dawn (Vaughn) Conley of Isleton, CA; and brother-in-law, Joseph C. Keegan of Bronx, NY.
He was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, and brother, and he will be terribly missed and dearly remembered by those who knew and loved him.
A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, June 25, 2021, at Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville, AL with the Reverend Robert Sparkman of Latham United Methodist Church officiating.
The family asks that memorials be made to Latham United Methodist Church (P. O. Box 4267, Huntsville, AL, 35815) or to the Alzheimer’s Association (act.alz.org).
