Conrad was impossible to miss--tall, broad-shouldered, and capable. He had an excellent laugh, a wicked intellect, a deep voice that carried, and a notable lack of concern for the judgment of others. Not that he was uncaring; rather, he had very little patience for social rules that keep people isolated from one another and prevented them from enjoying genuine connection. Conrad loved people: he was fascinated by the variety and complexity of human experience, both the surface and the depths. He inspired confidences from those who knew him well and--with startling frequency--from complete strangers. His wife and kids learned not to be surprised when Conrad somehow ended up hearing the complete life story of a random person from a check-out line. His unique perspective and attentiveness made Conrad an excellent friend, husband, and father.

Being loved by Conrad was transformative for many of those who knew him best. He was almost unfailingly honest, even when it would have been easier to edit: anyone who knew Conrad knew that he would never let a friend get away with being disingenuous, even to themselves, and he was always ready to call out the ridiculous. Alongside that honesty, there was kindness, curiosity, and acceptance about him, a true big-heartedness. Even if you were in a mess of your own making, Conrad would be there, offering advice and help. To talk to Conrad was to have his whole focus and intellect directed towards you and what was important to you at that moment. It is rare to have another person so invested in the success and happiness of others, but Conrad loved puzzles and helping people arrive at solutions.

Conrad was easy to spot, almost always being the tallest person in any room, but more than that, he was always right in the middle of everything. He had a way of using his strength and size that made him a welcome and welcoming presence. Conrad loved projects and problem-solving, and was ridiculously capable, whether it was in his hobbies, his work, or as a parent. He could build or fix almost anything. His first cars were well-loved and worked on exclusively by him. Despite his many capabilities, Conrad was humble about his strengths. He felt that if he could do something, anyone could, if they set their mind to learning. That confidence and generosity of spirit were some of his very best traits.

Conrad had a successful career and was almost completely self-taught in each of the stages of his professional life. He was fortunate to have a series of employers who saw his agile mind and problem-solving capability as valuable assets to be utilized in creative and industry-leading ways. He loved his work and the challenges of each project and client. He worked hard and cared deeply about offering the best solution, the better process, the refinement of practice. Sometimes his reach exceeded his grasp, but he was always good at the analysis after a failure and ready to try again with new understanding.

For someone so capable and strong, with such an uncommon intellect, the last few years of Conrad's life were tough. With each hospitalization, new physical limitation, or loss of intellectual sharpness, he struggled. Being able to do almost anything, to solve any problem, to find a solution given enough time and focus, was a huge part of his identity. Being taken care of didn't come easily to him, though he often brought humor and kindness to those moments. There were many good days mixed in with the hard ones: moments of joy and hope. Most of those were around his children, Owen, Cora, and Will, whom he loved with unique curiosity, patience, and specificity, taking the time to get to know them, to listen to them, and to engage in their many special interests. Conrad is deeply loved and so very missed.

For those unable to attend Conrad's service, the livestream will be available at the following link or by visiting the Tributes tab.

https://vimeo.com/event/3436883 - Here is the link for the livestream.

https://vimeo.com/829576967 - Here is the link to watch the recorded video of the service. This link will not work until after the live stream of the upcoming service has ended.