HAROLD ARTHUR CONDARA, SR.
1930-2017
Harold, Harry, Hal, Dad, Grandaddy was born on the day after Christmas in 1930 in New York City and passed away on November 21, 2017, in Houston, Texas. He is preceded by his hard working, loving, colorful parents Theodore (Curly) (Bunka) Condara and Mary Ellen (Molly) (Nana) Stanton Condara. Harold is survived by his only sibling Mary Bridget (Maureen) Nugent and her husband of fifty years, John (Jack) Nugent, previously of Millbrook, New York and presently of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Harold is also survived by his dear friend of many years, Ann Martin Sharp, Harold is survived by his first wife Doris Anderson Condara, the mother of his seven children and by those children and their spouses and their children, all of Houston, Texas. The lucky seven are Christie Condara-Vetter and husband Richard, Karen Kovach Webb, Hal Condara, Jr. and wife Sally Parsley Condara, Theodore (Ted) Condara and wife Marcy Woodard, Mary Beth Condara, Margaret Ellen (Meg) Condara Lancaster and husband Graham Lancaster and Clare Condara Baarlaer and husband David Baarlaer. The really lucky grandchildren are – Christie’s children: Virginia Vetter, Leah Vetter, Colette Vetter; Karen’s children: Angela Kovach, Carolyn Kovach Bowen (and Carl); Hal’s children: Andrea Condara, Erin Condara Lewis (and Taylor), Susie Condara Maddox (and Tyler), Christopher Condara, Ben Condara, Cameron Condara; Ted’s children: Ronnie Hixon (Liz), Danny Hixon (Christine), Candace Condara Mensik (Eric), Matthew Condara, Emily Condara; Mary Beth’s children: Molly Chang, Katie Chang, Liam Chang, Meg’s children: Griff Lancaster, Gavin Lancaster, Grayson Lancaster; and Clare’s children: Bridget Baarlaer and Jacob Baarlaer. The really really lucky great grandchildren are Magnus Mensik and Penelope Mensik. Harold (Hal) also loved Ann Sharp’s Arkansas family and her children Patti Taylor (and David), Larry Sharp (and Jeri), Sheri Rieke (and Glen) and Ann’s grandchildren Jack, Claire, Meg and Ben Taylor, Adam and Oliver Sharp, Daniel, Dustin, Jessica and Bonnie Rieke and their spouses and children.
Harold was an athlete, a scholar, a mischief, a dashing gentleman, an oil and gas professional, a dominoes player, a fisherman, a body surfer, a bridge player, a constant gardener, a scrabble aficionado, a carpenter, a poker player, a New York city smart kid, a chili making Texan, a loving, giving, teaching father and grandfather and was NEVER EVER boring.
After growing up in New York City, where he enjoyed the camaraderie of his many Irish and Greek first cousins and attended St. John’s Prep, Harold attended Niagara University on a football and basketball scholarship. He chose basketball and excelled on the team and in school, where he met some lifelong friends, including Doris Condara. After graduating from Niagara in 1953, Harold served as a lieutenant in the army in El Paso, Texas. After the service, they moved back to New York City, where Harold was employed by Shell Oil Company, where he spent his 30 year career, living in suburbs of New York City, including Glen Rock, New Jersey and moving to Texas for good in 1970. After retiring from Shell, Harold moved to Galveston, Texas and proceeded to singlehandedly transform a group of barren lots into a garden wonderland for his grandchildren and a sanctuary for migrating birds. He became a Master Gardener and had seagulls for pets who responded to his whistle. He built a beautiful spacious Frank Lloyd Wright style deck on the tiny house behind his house on stilts, which became the “Outback”, the site of many a good meal and fun poker game with Grandaddy after a day on the beach, complete with mullet catching and body surfing. In recent years, Harold has been a happy and constant visitor at Ann’s in Bellavita in Pearland, Texas, where much bridge has been played with the close friends they made there.
We will all miss him terribly. The light is dimmer here today and brighter where he has gone. But our memories and his wisdom will be with us always.
Visitation with the family will be on Saturday, November 25, 2017 at 1:00 in the afternoon, followed by a Funeral Mass at St. Michael Catholic Church, 1801 Sage Rd., Houston, Texas.