Glenn R. Conrad

Glenn Roy Conrad, aged 80 of Grand Rapids, the best friend and soul mate a girl could ever have, passed into the arms of Jesus, January 17, 2025, finally at peace from a long journey with Alzheimer’s.

Born in Cadillac, Michigan, November 17, 1944 to Delbert Odel Conrad and Glenna Lamb Conrad, he was drawn to and found his true calling in broadcasting at the age of eighteen. Encouraged by his friend and mentor, Steve McGowan, also of Cadillac, Michigan, he became a professional disc jockey learning his craft at radio stations in northern Michigan before moving to Grand Rapids in the summer of 1967. He took his next step moving on to join WZZM TV in 1969, with his incredible sense of timing as an audio engineer for the next 40 years, finishing his career in master control. He once said, “Where else can a guy go and get to play with million dollar toys every day?”

In his leisure time he became a gourmet cook, got his pilot’s license flying his own plane, volunteered in refugee resettlement, where his cooking skills came in handy while working with those families and learning from them. Needless to say, his kitchen was, over time, filled with every herb and spice known to man! And doesn’t every home need three kinds of grills and a smoker?

He loved traveling, with Israel being his last trip. This had been his lifelong dream. He loved camping and knew his way around a forest, as well as which mushrooms and berries were safe to eat.

Glenn is preceded in death by his parents and older brother Donald. He is survived by his wife Linda, his sister Susan Davidson, his son David Conrad, and foster son Hiep Ngo and his wife Hang, their children Hanna and Jonathan Ngo, all of Grand Rapids. We all miss Glenn’s dry sense of humor and famous one-liners.

A memorial mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 26, 2025 at Clark Retirement Community Chapel, 1551 Martin Luther King Dr. SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan. The family will greet friends at 10:00 a.m. prior to the start of the service. A luncheon will follow the service in the BK All Purpose Room.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Glenn’s honor may be made to Emmanuel Hospice of Grand Rapids, or Alzheimer Association of West Michigan.

A special thank you to the third-floor Assisted living staff at Clark Retirement Community who gave Glenn such wonderful care in his last days.

Don’t forget that if you find love, nurture it, cherish it, and never take it for granted.

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