Beloved Cornelius Historian Passes Away at 78

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Jackie Conard Jr., whose collections of photographs and stories helped preserve Cornelius history for generations of residents, died Tuesday. He was 78.

Conard was widely known for documenting the town’s past through an extensive collection of photographs and artifacts. His work chronicled Cornelius before the creation of Lake Norman and the rapid growth that transformed the community.

In an online tribute, friend Chad Huck wrote Conard’s contributions to Cornelius are immeasurable.

“Through his photography, stories and incredible knowledge of local history, he helped preserve the memories and spirit of Cornelius for generations,” Huck wrote. “Jack always had a story to tell and a camera close by. … Many of us will miss his photographs (many of which held his house together), his conversations, his wisdom and his unwavering love for this community.”

Photo by Deborah Young

Conard was born in Mooresville and attended Cornelius Elementary School, was active in Cornelius Presbyterian Church and participated in Boy Scouts of America at Mt. Zion United Methodist Church.

As a teenager, Conard’s family moved to Charlotte, where he graduated from South Mecklenburg High School. He later worked at Cashion’s Grocery in Huntersville. The family eventually returned to Cornelius after purchasing his grandmother’s home on Church Street.

In January 1966, Conard enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Following boot camp he was assigned to the USS Willis A. Lee. He also served as a member of the commissioning crew of the USS John F. Kennedy. During his military service, he participated in two Guantanamo Bay cruises and three Mediterranean deployments before receiving an honorable discharge in December 1969.

Throughout his life, Conard continued his education through courses at Central Piedmont Community College and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte while working in a variety of professions. He became widely known throughout Cornelius as a dedicated photographer, regularly documenting community events and local life.

Friends said Conard’s love of collecting and storytelling was greatly influenced by his mother, Sarah. He returned to Main Street in 1989 and began interviewing longtime residents to preserve their memories of Cornelius. What started as a personal interest grew into a decades-long commitment to documenting the town’s history. For nearly 40 years, he collected photographs, stories and historical records to ensure future generations understood the community’s heritage.

Memorial outside Conard’s home

Many works from his collection are on display in The Conard Collection at Town Hall and are expected to be featured at the new Cornelius History Museum.

Longtime Mayor Woody Washam said Conard was one of the inspirations behind the museum.

“His mission was to share our rich past with generations to come,” Washam said. “Spending time with Jack while looking at the many pictures and sharing the stories was like fondly reliving my childhood. We all loved Jack and he truly loved Cornelius.”

Conard was a regular at Old Town Public House and Barley Market. He was known to carry a scrapbook of photos under his arm, camera in one hand and a Pabst Blue Ribbon in the other.

This past spring, the town honored Conard for a lifetime of service to the community. He watched a livestream of the presentation from his hospital room as a packed audience cheered him on.

“I love y’all, and have a great town meeting,” he said with a smile. “I can’t imagine the town without me being there, but you’re all with me all of the time.”

Conard, who also was passionate about the local music scene, built a stage in his backyard many years ago and held annual Virgo parties with live music.

He was visited by countless friends in recent months, many of whom were musicians, longtime friend Paula Wolfe said.

“I don’t think the VA hospital has ever seen anything like Jack,” she said. “He had a constant stream of friends and musicians visiting him the last couple of months, and he got to tell his stories right up to the end.”

Wolfe visited him this week, sharing messages of gratitude she collected from his friends through social media.

“I felt the slightest squeeze of my finger and a few gentle eyebrow raises and knew he must have heard them,” she wrote.

Services are planned, but details have not yet been announced. A memorial was placed outside Conard’s home on North Main Street next to a large painting of him holding a camera that once hung near Old Town Public House and Oak Street Mill.

Friends gathered at Barley Market on Tuesday night to celebrate his life with a toast.