Earl Edward Conklin Jr.

November 1, 1928 -

Earl Edward Conklin Jr. was born in Oakland, California on November 1, 1928.
At a young age, he moved to Owyhee, Nevada and was raised by his aunt Lucy Hull.
Earl had many fond stories of his years growing up in Owyhee. After attending his elementary years at Swayne County School, he attended Sherman Indian High School, in Riverside, California.
He was an accomplished athlete. His most cherished memories were running in a California State track meet, in the Los Angeles Coliseum and on another occasion, seeing the great Jim Thorpe at one of the team’s football practices.
Jim Thorpe’s son Billy played in the same backfield. Earl loved to talk football and how tough they ran the Pigskin.
His most cherished gifts were four Sherman yearbooks his son, John, gave him one Christmas.
In July 1951, he joined the Army Air Corp. Earl was trained to be firefighter and spent time in Japan, during the Korean War.
He was honorably discharged from the Air Force in July 1955. He returned to Nevada and worked at the IL Ranch, in Elko County, as a cowboy. He met Delores Dixon, from Battle Mountain and they married on March 26, 1957.
They worked for the W.T. Jenkins Company at the 25, Rock Creek, and Blossom Ranches. In April 1966, Earl went to work at Duvall (later Battle Mountain Gold) as a diesel mechanic.
After 25 years, he retired in December 1991. Earl kept in touch with “The Boys,” meeting for coffee at the Owl Club for many years.
Earl moved back to Owyhee after losing his wife, Dolores, of 42 years in September 2001. He loved to tell stories, was an accomplished carpenter and gardener.
He would help anyone who needed it. He and Dolores helped raise Basil Hooper, Randy Hooper (deceased), Clifford Price, Corinne (Whiterock) Sampson, and Joni (Etchebarran) Cornpeach. He was most of all, a wonderful grandfather.
He is preceded in death by his wife, Dolores (Dixon) Conklin; great-grandparents Vacquero and Mary (Blaine) Bob; father Earl Edward Conklin Sr., of Chardon, Ohio; mother Martha (Bob) Hooper; aunt Lucy Hull; uncle Jim Bob; sister Winnona Jean (Conklin) Prince; brothers Maurice Owen Conklin, Fred Hooper, John Theodore Hooper, and Ericson Hooper; and grandchildren Molly Walker and Rick E. Walker, all of Owyhee, Nevada.
He is preceded by cousins Flora Buckskin, Josephine Tendor, Ivy Waterhouse, and Calvin Appeney, of Fort Hall, Idaho; and Laveren Thomas, of Owyhee, Nevada.
Earl is survived by his children: Earla (Clint) Walker, of Owyhee; Yvonne Webb, of Spring Creek; John (Phaline) Conklin, of Owyhee, Nevada; and Jared Conklin, of Boise, Idaho.
He is survived by grandchildren: Lacee, Mountain Spring, and Esmeralda Walker; Kari (Andy) Shanahan, Deven (Derrick) Webb; Toni, Cheyna, and Trudie Burton; Jacob (Alex) and Hattie Conklin; Layton Thacker; and Janaya, Jade, and Jonica Conklin.
Earl is also survived by 15 great-grandchildren and many cousins, nieces, and nephews throughout Idaho and Nevada.
He is survived by his cousin Charlotte Tendor, of Fort Hall, Idaho.
Services for Earl will be on December 13, 2023, at 11:00 MST, in Owyhee, Nevada, at the Human Development Center. Burial and traditional feed, to follow.
Burn Funeral Home of Elko, Nevada, is handling the arrangements.