I think he died shortly before graduation? I believe he was terminally ill. He was a shy,sweet kid who's life was cut short before it could truly begin.
Yes, Paul was a winner in my mind. I did not him that well but he apparently had enough courage and faith to make it to the point where God decided to take him from us. Paul passed away in September of 1979 just 3 months after graduation.
My clear recollection is that Paul Conger's death resulted from a traffic accident while his family was vacationing. Several other members of his family were seriously injured, but he was the only one who died.
I remember him being the NEW kid at Dwyer and ignorant people picking on him because he wore a Colostomy bag.I remember VERY few of us sticking up for him.I have a feeling he is smiling down on us as we speak.Miss ya bro
I was just reading this posting with my wife, Anne (Conger) McCants, HBHS '80, Paul's sister. She wants to thank all posters, on Paul's behalf, for your very kind words. Paul was killed instantly in early September 1979 when the pickup truck he was driving was broadsided by a drunk driver on the road leading down from the San Bernardino National Forest. In the same accident, Paul's father, Norman, suffered a broken back (from which he recovered), and Anne broke her collar bone. Marge, Paul's mother, was not physically injured, but fully witnessed the terrible outcome. The drunk driver, a young woman from Greece, fled the country before charges could be filed. The owner of the car paid out a relatively modest insurance settlement, particularly by later standards. The Conger family, not ones for bitterness, established an HBHS scholarship in Paul's name. Paul, not long before his death, had reached the rank of Eagle Scout, overcoming a multitude of health challenges to do so, including the need for regular dialysis. It was his dream to serve his country in the armed forces, but his physical condition made that impossible. It is not clear how long he would have lived if the accident had not happened (urology has come a long way since then), but it is clear he was determined to live life to the fullest.
