Roger Fowler 'Blondie' Conger, a retired oil field drilling consultant passed away Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008 at the Tangi Pines Nursing Home, Amite. He was born Jan. 6, 1921 in Quitman, Wood County, TX. He was a member of the First Baptist Church, Baker. He was a resident of the Baker-Zachary area for the past 12 years. He was a decorated war veteran of WW II, having serving in the 96th Infantry Division of the US Army in the Pacific Theater. He was a life member of the Military Order of the Purple Heart Association, the National Rifle Association, the Combat Infantry Association, the 96th Infantry Division "Deadeyes" Association, the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. A combat veteran of the battles of Leyte Gulf and Okinawa, he earned the Bronze Star for heroic service under fire and the Purple Heart for wounds received under fire. These wounds aside, he was most proud of having been a combat infantryman in the service of his country.

He graduated from Quitman High School, Quitman, TX in 1939 and began working in the oil fields of east TX as a roughneck for Rowan Drilling Co.

After the war he returned to work for Rowan in west Texas and later transferred to Louisiana as oilfield exploration moved across the Gulf Coast and into offshore waters. He worked on some of the earliest drilling tender operations in the Gulf of Mexico for Rowan in the late 1950's until his retirement in 1974 as a rig superintendent in New Orleans. He began work for Gulf Oil Corp. as a company man and continued until 1979 when he retired and formed his own oilfield consulting company. During his years as a consultant he was afforded the opportunity to supervise the drilling of many deep wells requiring his well control expertise. He became a member of the "4-mile deep" club while drilling deep in the Tuscaloosa Trend in the Baton Rouge area for operators including the late "Doc" Pennington, Louisiana Land and Exploration and Amoco. He retired completely in 1995.

Visitation was at Charlet Funeral Home, Zachary on Thursday, November 6. Religious services were held Friday, November 7 at First Baptist Church, Baker followed by burial in Azalea Rest Cemetery, Zachary.

He is survived by a daughter and three sons and their families, Ann Conger Mueller of Fresno, Calif., Russell Paul Conger Sr., Amite, Robert Mark Conger, Prairieville and Steven Luke Conger, Gretna; 10 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

He was formerly married to Ellen Barbin Conger of Baker.

He was preceded in death by his father, Robert F. Conger; mother, Minerva Elizabeth Stevenson; two brothers, Lloyd A. Conger and Paul Conger.

Grandpa was truly a one of a kind man. You always knew what grandpa belived in. He always told it how he saw it, and at the end of the day, you would be proud to know him. He will be sorely missed by all. Share sympathies, condolences and memories at www.charletfuneralhome.com