ELAINE HIGGINS CONLEY

August 27, 1943 – October 1, 2021

Elaine Higgins Conley was born on August 27th, 1943, in Lake View, Iowa, to Sherman and Lois Higgins. She went to be with her Lord on October 1st, 2021 in Bakersfield, CA. Elaine grew up on a farm near Lake View, graduated valedictorian from Lake View-Auburn High School in 1961, and graduated from the University of Iowa with Honors in 1965 with a major in English and Education. She was a member of Alpha Gamma Delta social sorority and Alpha Lambda Delta Honor sorority. She came to Bakersfield to teach at Foothill High School, and with the exception of a year in Tacoma, Washington, she remained an English teacher at Foothill until her retirement in June, 2003. Elaine married the love of her life, Larry Conley, on December 27th, 1966. They were blessed with two children, Patrick and Kristin, and later two granddaughters, Emily and Alanna.

Elaine loved life, reading, traveling, Facebook, roses and all flowers, movies, playing bridge, living in California, her husband, children, and grandchildren, family friends, and her many students at Foothill. Elaine was a writer and later in life she finally published the novels and short story collections she had worked on for so long: Donner, Christmas Wishes, The Better Claim, and 60 Years. She was happy and optimistic, believing that God has a wonderful future planned for all of us.

Elaine went on to receive her Masters degree from the University of La Verne. She was an active member of the KHSD mentor teacher selection committee and the writing proficiency committee for many years. Elaine was responsible for hundreds of Foothill students passing the writing proficiency test. She was an adviser to the Foothill Bible Club, Photography Club, and the California Scholarship Federation. Elaine was voted Teacher of the Year by the students and faculty several times. She was a member of the Northminster Presbyterian Church.

Elaine loved travelling and was fortunate to travel to Europe five times. She also travelled to the Panama Canal, all 50 States, the Caribbean, Australia, Brazil, and China. Elaine loved holidays and spent many hours decorating her classroom and her home for each holiday.

Elaine is survived by her husband of 54 years, Larry Conley, her children Patrick (Suzette) Conley and Kristin (Rich) Maynard, her adorable granddaughters Emily Maynard and Alanna Conley, her brother Sherman and his daughters Laurel and Amanda, and her sister Evonne and her children Brad and Katie.

Elaine was preceded in death by her father Sherman and her mother Lois, her father-in-law Harry and her mother-in-law Ruth, her sister-in-law Mari Lynn, her brother-in-law Bob and her sister-in-law Pam.

A memorial service will be held at Northminster Presbyterian Church, 3700 Union Avenue in Bakersfield on October 30th at 10:00am. The funeral service will be available online at http://www.facebook.com/NPCBakersfield . If you attend in person, the family asks that you wear a mask to preserve your safety and that of others. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to your favorite charity or the Elaine Conley Memorial Scholarship Fund, organized by the East Sac Education Foundation: WLVA Foundation, c/o Janet Frisbie, P.O. Box 513, Lake View, IA 51450.