Obituary of Irene Diehl Konrad

Irene Diehl Konrad died peacefully in her sleep at Aaron Manor Rehabilitation Center, Chester, Connecticut, on May 1, 2014. She was 94 years old. The only child of Robert and Mamie Diehl, Irene was born on March 16, 1920 and raised in Fountain Hill, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Bethlehem. Baptized and confirmed in the Moravian Church, she graduated in 1941 from Bloomsburg University with the degree of Bachelor of Science in Business Education and English and taught in the Bethlehem (PA) High School until 1947. Irene married her Fountain Hill High School classmate, William (Bill) Andrew Konrad, on December 23, 1944 during his service with the United States Navy. The couple resided in Takoma Park, Maryland until relocating to New Jersey in 1947, when Bill began his Manhattan-based career with Exxon and its Venezuelan subsidiary, Creole Petroleum Corporation. Irene continued in her profession as an educator and school administrator in New Jersey until 1968, when the Konrads relocated to Caracas, Venezuela. The family later moved to London, England, where Irene helped her husband launch and manage a spot-market oil trading enterprise until 1974. The Konrads retired to Boca Raton, Florida in their mid-fifties and Irene became active in the local community. She was the first lady of Boca Raton during Bill Konrad's tenure as the city's mayor from 1981 through 1987, and she served on the boards of many civil, cultural, and charitable organizations, focusing her efforts on activities to benefit the community as a whole. Upon retirement from public life, Irene and Bill circumnavigated the globe by train in 1987, and by freighter in 1988, with other trips to Greece, Israel, Egypt, Australia and New Zealand. After her husband's death in late 2006, Irene continued to live in her Boca Raton home until May, 2013, when she relocated to Aaron Manor to reside closer to her only child, Scott, and his family in Essex, Connecticut. Irene is survived only by Scott; his wife, Candace; and their daughters, Kate and Emily. The family plans a private entombment in Boca Raton, Florida and, in recognition of Irene's lifelong love of animals, has asked that any remembrances be donated to the Humane Society of the United States (www.humanesociety.org). Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home of Centerbrook, Connecticut is in charge of the arrangements.