In Memoriam - Conrad Joyner

Conrad Joyner, an astute observer, gifted teacher, and effective practitioner of the art of politics, passed away February 8, 2005, in Tucson, Arizona. Born October 21, 1931, he graduated from Earlham College in 1953 and received his Ph.D. from the University of Florida in 1957. He taught political science at West Virginia University and the University of Southwestern Louisiana before arriving at the University of Arizona in 1961 for what would turn out to be a long and colorful career. He retired from the University of Arizona in 1992.

Those who knew Conrad may be surprised to learn that his earliest scholarly publications focused on the use of referenda and Commonwealth powers in Australia, interests no doubt prompted by a Fulbright spent at the University of Sidney in 1955–1956. Of course, Conrad's true intellectual home was the study of state and local politics and institutions. And no matter what the topic, whether it was analyzing statewide elections, understanding congressional campaigns, administering local city services, or penetrating the structures of county government, Conrad's attention never strayed far from the practical side of politics.

By all accounts it was this abiding passion for practical politics that served Conrad so well in the classroom. He was an effective and influential teacher not because he loved teaching, though he clearly did, but because he loved virtually everything about politics. He was as enthusiastic about back room bargaining as about the hoopla of public campaigning, as intrigued by county ordinances and bureaucratic regulations as by the latest polls charting the vagaries of local public opinion. And, of course, impassioned enthusiasm and genuine love of one's subject can spark even the most recalcitrant students to sit up and pay attention. And pay attention they did. Students streamed into his classes and were seldom disappointed with what they found. It wasn't long before Conrad was recognized for his extraordinary accomplishments in the classroom. In 1964–1965 he was named Outstanding Male Faculty Member on campus, and in 1967 he was awarded the Danforth Foundation's E. Harris Harbison Prize for unusual accomplishment in college teaching.

Although Conrad Joyner is well remembered by his many students as an inspiring professor of political science, he is best remembered by citizens of Tucson as a central figure in local politics for the better part of two decades. His keen interest in actually participating in the political process became evident soon after he arrived in Tucson when he was appointed a Tucson Republican Ward Committeeman in 1963 and County Precinct Committeeman in 1966. He was elected to the Tucson City Council in 1967 and to three successive terms on the Pima County Board of Supervisors beginning in 1972. He ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1982, losing to Jim Kolbe who still holds the seat today. Conrad practiced the art of politics and governance just as he taught it. He was always the practical politician looking to move forward through compromise and consensus. Even his political opponents remember him fondly for his tenacious commitment to getting done what needed to be done.

It was but two short years after finally leaving public office that Conrad Joyner suffered a devastating stroke. He forced himself to recover his mobility and to learn to speak all over again. He even attended grade school classes to help him with vocabulary. His recovery was, by all accounts quite remarkable. Three years later he was recognized with the Outstanding Rehabilitation Award by his local health service provider. A year later, in what was surely the crowning achievement of his recovery, he returned once again to the college classroom.

Conrad is survived by his three sons, Conrad, Michael, and Mark; his grandchildren, Jody, Tracy, Kyle, and Jordan; and his sisters, Elizabeth and Maria. His first wife, Ann, died in 2002; his former wife, Wallis Downer, also survives him. Donations may be sent to the Tucson YMCA, the University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center, the Conrad Joyner Library in Green Valley, Arizona, or a charity of your choice.