News & Stories

Gerald Conn, Retired Missionary to Ecuador, Dies

June 23, 2005

Rev. Gerald W. Conn, retired missionary to Ecuador, went to be with the Lord on June 21, 2005, in Southport, North Carolina, at the age of 91. Rev. Conn and his wife Carol served as a missionaries with The Christian and Missionary Alliance from 1947 to 1981. 
     Conn graduated from St. Paul Bible College and Nyack College in the early 40s. Following graduation, he did pioneer work in Van Buren, Arkansas, for more than a year, then worked with Hispanics in McAllen, Texas. While in Texas he married Carol Gudim, also a graduate of St. Paul Bible College and Nyack College. In 1947, they went to Ecuador where they labored among the Indians: first the Otavalos, a highland tribe, and then the jungle Quechuas in Dos Rios and Pano. Gerald had oversight of the construction of many buildings in several different cities. He also taught high school, pastored the Spanish church in Napo, directed jungle Indian ministries, and had oversight of general mission station maintenance. 
     Rev. Conn is survived by his wife Carol and four children: Terrel Anderson, William, Philip, and Claudia Irvin (C&MA missionary to Colombia soon to be Argentina), and grandchildren/great-grandchildren.