Letitia Colleen Conrad was born June 15, 1934, in Terre Haute, Indiana.  She was the youngest of 7 children born to Joseph Anthony Conrad and Letitia Elizabeth Conrad.  Tish graduated from St. Patrick’s High School in 1953, attended Indiana State University and received training in X-Ray and Lab technician at St. Anthony’s Hospital.  She was employed in an MD’s office and was the care giver for her parents in their last months.  Tish also served as the State Chair for the Indiana March of Dimes.

Tish was united in marriage to Norman Merriam on December 2, 1961, in Marshall, Illinois.

Their children are Jennifer of Denver, Melinda (Chris Nyikos) of Portland, and Lara (Jon Pietsch) of Cheyenne.  All were born in Union Hospital in Terre Haute, Indiana.  The family lived in Indiana, Missouri, Illinois before settling in Laramie in 1976 where Tish was employed as the Director of the Lab at Student Health Services at UW.

Tish was an excellent cook; good at sewing; and a great organizer for family reunions, church youth groups, and even a large community fund raiser.  She sewed the girls’ clothes, sport coats for Norm, drapes for their houses and a wedding dress for their daughter, Jennifer.  She refinished old furniture, went with Norm on a raft trip down the middle fork of the Salmon River, brought lunches for Habitat and helped process numerous antelope, deer, elk and even a moose.  Tish was always ready to help paint rooms, houses or whatever.  She and Norm were big Cowboy football and basketball fans with a few volleyball games and track meets.  Their travel usually focused on family with many trips to Iowa, Colorado, New Mexico, a few trips to Nebraska and Washington, and even one to Vermont and another to Prague.

Tish was also an active and very proud grandmother with her grandchildren.  She and Norm attended many, many swim meets; track and cross country meets, t-ball, basketball, soccer, football, and baseball games where requests for some tasty favorite dishes were always eagerly welcomed.

Tish was preceded in death by her parents; brothers Jack, Joe and Barney; sisters Rita, Kathleen and her twin sister Patricia.  She is survived by her husband, Norm, of 64 years, their 3 children, and grandchildren Rachel Pietsch of Cheyenne, Matt Pietsch of Sioux Falls, SD, Andy Nyikos of Albuquerque, NM and Liam Nyikos of Portland, OR. 

Funeral services will be at 10:00 am Thursday, August 20^th at the First Christian Church in Laramie with Pastor Mike Berry presiding.  A reception will immediately follow the service with internment to follow at Greenhill Cemetery at 12:30 p.m. Pallbearers will be Jon and Matt Pietsch, Mark and Jeff Merriam, Craig and Chris Folsom.  Honorary pall bearers will be Cindy Mecca, Hospice of Laramie and Dante Carver.