Conley Rock Cleveland, the son of Randall and Edna (Rock) Cleveland, was born on May 9, 1938 near Lovewell, Kansas. He passed away on September 1, 2010 at the Good Samaritan Society in Superior, Nebraska at the age of 72 years, 3 months and 22 days.

Conley’s love for hunting and fishing started as a young boy when his Grandma Vesta taught him to shoot. He would take his BB gun and shoot small birds and his mother Edna would cook them for him and his sister Midge. Then during his early high school years he and what turned out to be his closest friend for life Darrel Thompson hunted, fished and trapped basically anything that flew, swam or had fur, on the Republican River around Superior, Nebraska. In 1956 Conley went to college at the University of Nebraska where he found he really did have a talent in shooting and joined the ROTC program and became a nationally recognized marksman on the University of Nebraska rifle team that won national Championships in 1960 and 1961. It was during this time that he met the love of his life Patricia Gonder and they started their life together. Conley and Patricia were married on April 17, 1959 at Pat’s parents home in Phillipsburg, Kansas and to this union was born two children, Deb and Scott.

After college Conley and Pat moved as required by the military for three years, until Conley was severely injured during military training operation. After being honorably discharged in 1965 he and Pat embarked on one of Conley’s life dreams where he founded the Kansas Nebraska Fish and Bait Company 3 miles south of Hardy, Nebraska. The ever flowing spring water provided the perfect environment to raise Trout, Catfish, and Minnows. Starting the company and raising their family was extremely tough for Conley and Pat. So Conley also started teaching school at Byron, Nebraska, where he taught for 6 years. During this period Conley continued to be an avid outdoors man, gardener, canner, and fruit jar collector. When the state of Kansas opened the first archery deer season, Conley was possibly the first person to take a deer with a bow and arrow. He shot it at sunrise on opening morning on the Republican River approximately 1 mile north of their house. He also became a boy scout leader at Hardy, Nebraska where he assisted with numerous Eagle Scout awards. In 1974 Conley started teaching and driving the school bus at Mankato, Kansas where he continued to teach until he retired in 1997. During that time he and Pat moved to their dream home overlooking Lovewell Lake and he, Scott and his dad Randall Cleveland started another love of his life raising and showing Simmental Cattle. After Conley’s retirement he continued all of his life long love of the outdoors and became known as the yellow cat king of Lovewell Lake and provided many years of 4^th of July fish fries for all of his neighbors and friends.

During Conely’s last years of his life he loved making plans for his next outdoor adventure, the Elk hunt to Colorado. The Paddlefish snagging trips to Oklahoma or looking forward to meeting up with his beloved rifle team for one more pheasant hunt, where they were sure to get more birds than last year. There are lots of fish and wildlife in Jewell County that will feel safer now.

He was preceded in death by his father Randall Cleveland.

He will be missed by his wife, Pat of the home, mother, Edna Cleveland a resident of the Superior Good Samaritan Society, daughter Debra Hubert of Concordia, Kansas and son Scott and Julieann of Elbow Lake, Minnesota; 5 grandchildren, Shane Hubert, Theresa Hubert, Anthony Hubert, Robin Cleveland and Dawn Cleveland; sister, Midge Eisenhauer and husband Dale of Webber, Kansas; and brother, Rick Cleveland and wife Jackie of Courtland, Kansas; a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and a host of friends.

Memorial services were held on Monday, September 6, 2010 at 10:00 AM from the Megrue-Price Funeral Home Chapel in Superior, Nebraska with Missie Wilt officiating. Music was a recording of "Ashokan Farewell" and the "Battle Hymn of the Republic," piano solo by Carlita Erickson and "Down By The Fishing Hole," and "His Eye Is On The Sparrow," sung by Greg & Donna Diamond. Honorary Pallbearers were the University of Nebraska Rifle Team. Inurnment with Full Military Rites was at the Lovewell State Park Cemetery at Lovewell, Kansas. Memorials suggested to the Parkinson Research Foundation. Condolences may be sent to Megrue-Price Funeral Home, PO Box 282, Superior, NE 68978 or in care of www.pricefuneralhomes.com. Megrue-Price Funeral Home of Superior, Nebraska was in charge of the arrangements.