Herbert Hewitt Conner, 92, of Lake Charles, died Wednesday, July 22, 2020, at Christus Ochsner St. Patrick Hospital.

He was born in Lake Arthur. He grew up in a large sharecrop farming family in Sweetlake. He worked as a hunting guide at the Coastal Hunting Club. He also worked as a union carpenter and was assigned work on the Interstate 10 bridge in Lake Charles. He enlisted into the Army in May 1946, and served until September 1951.

The day before leaving for the Army, he jumped from a height of 75 feet off the I-10 bridge to save the life of a fellow worker who had fallen. A collection was taken up by the rest of his fellow workers, and he left for the Army as a hometown hero with money in his pocket.

He also worked as a welder/pipefitter at Cities Service Refinery until retirement.

He was a member of St. Margaret’s Catholic Church until becoming a resident of Resthaven Nursing Home.

He is survived by three sons, Grady and wife Kathy of Lake Charles, Troy and wife Sheila of Sulphur,, and Derek and wife Kim of Iowa; one daughter in-law, Mary Beth Conner of Lake Charles, La.; two sisters, Esther Mae Guillory and Shirley Mouton; eight grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Amadia and Amada Conner; wife, Mary Bradley Avant Conner; one son, David Conner; five brothers; and four sistersl.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Tuesday, July 28, at St. Margaret Catholic Church. Rev. Rommel Tolentino officiated. Burial followed in Consolata Cemetary under the direction of Johnson’s Funeral Home.